Twisted
by Conaleigh Leonhart
Summary: Haley is totally content with her hot boyfriend Lucas, he's cute and kind so why is she suddenly so drawn to Luke's jerk of a brother Nathan. You'll have to read to find out! NALEY BRUCAS and JEYTON. couples may change Except for NALEY of course
1. A day in the life of ordinary

**AN: This story is set in an AU, and is told in first person from different peoples perspectives, depending on the chapter. Haley is dating Lucas and Nathan is currently 'between girlfriends'. Lucas is still unpopular, but does play for the Tree Hill Ravens. Peyton is Haley's best friend. Oh yeah, and Lucas lives with Dan and Deb because Karen moved to Italy when he was five. I think that's all you need to know, and it will basically explain itself as he story develops. Hope you enjoy!**

**Twisted**

**A Day in the Life of Ordinary**

**Haley**

I don't know what it is about the first day back at school that makes you make an effort. I mean, you're only going to see the same deluded freaks as last year, and the people that are worth making an effort for you see during the holidays anyway. So I don't know what it is, but I found myself making an effort for the first day back at Tree Hill High, as a junior. My auburn hair was straightened and glossy, and I had pale green eye shadow and mascara surrounding my hazel brown eyes and a slick of pale pink lip gloss to finish off the look. I'd also made an effort in the wardrobe department; yes me, Haley Louise James, normally to be seen in a checked shirt and denim pants. I was wearing a dark green vest top and a floaty black skirt, that had cost me half of my wages at 'Karen's', but I looked good.

Which is why I'm not particularly amused that my boyfriend, Lucas Scott has failed to notice the effort I've put in this morning. Kind attentive Luke is more bothered about his new car, a present of 'daddy', and so naturally Luke hates it, and boy does he want me to know about it.

"It's just another way to control me Haley," he's saying, while driving me to school. I have the usual butterfly's that are natural on the first day of school, and am trying to concentrate on other things, like what Luke is saying.

"You didn't have to accept it," I say bravely. And it is brave, because where Lucas is concerned; the subject of his father is sensitive.

"What? Haley, it's a Cherokee, do you know how many guys would kill for this car? I'm not cutting my nose off to spite my face". I roll my eyes at my boyfriend but can't help the small smile spreading across my face. Luke and his father Dan are as stubborn as each other, add Luke's younger and more evil half-brother Nathan to the mix and I always wondered why Deb Scott even bothered to get up in the mornings.

"Are you nervous?" I ask, trying for a change of topic. Lucas raises one eyebrow at me and smiles.

"Why would I be nervous?" he answers me with a question.

"Well, because it's the first day of school"

"Haley, everyone who is important to me I've seen over the holidays, and the only one's I'm dreading are Nathan and his motley crew, and I have to share the house with them anyway". The car park of Tree Hill High stretches out in front of us, and I wonder what this year will bring for me and my friends.

"We're here," Luke pointed out uselessly.

"I see that," I say, remembering how much I hate the jocks and the cheerleaders and the whole high school hierarchy. Luke opens the door for me and I step out, grabbing his hand and refusing to let go.

"Haley James!" comes a cheerful voice from across the parking lot. I look up to see my best friend Peyton Sawyer emerging from her new red mustang and running towards me and Luke.

"Hey Peyton!" I cry, wrapping my arms around her gangly frame and taking in her bouncy blonde hair and green eyes. As usual, she's dressed in jeans and a band Tee.

"You look nice," she says, eyeing me suspiciously. I tap her shoulder in jest and pretend to look hurt.

"Are you trying to say that I don't always?"

"Basically". I push her again and we break out into giggles. Lucas rolls his eyes at us before coming towards me and giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"I have to go see Whitey," he says, gesturing towards the gym block. I nod gravely and kiss him back. The thing is, Lucas is technically a jock, he plays basketball and he's damn good, oh yeah, and he's gorgeous. But he's just far too sensible for that kind of life style. You know, the whole partying, drinking and beautiful girls who are free and loose?

"Bye Luke," Peyton yells after him, turning towards me with a wicked smile. "So, have you done it yet?" she ask. I whack her with my folder as we walk towards the entrance.

"If by 'done it' you mean practiced sexual intercourse, then no. Not since last time you asked which was yesterday afternoon". Peyton rolls her eyes at me and scuffs her trainers off the floor.

"I don't get you James; I mean Luke is way hot. There are a million girls wanting to get into his CK's and you're just passing up the opportunity!"

"Luke isn't like that. He's never pressured me; he's too sweet for that"

"Yeah, how the hell he and Nate are from the same gene pool I'll never know. When we dated Nate was always saying that I didn't love him if I didn't do it with him"

"Yeah, but Nathan Scott is from the Dan Scott school of evil. Luke dropped out"

"True". We reach the entrance doors and stop, turning outwards, both of us not wanting to enter the college for fear that we would be shot dead by the Tree Hill elite. Payton had it particularly bad, being an ex-cheerleader and all. The only friend who still wanted to know her was Brooke Davis, head cheerleader and goddess.

"Do you ever regret it?" I ask suddenly, just out of thin air. Peyton looks at me in confusion.

"Regret what?" she asks, looking around for a familiar face.

"Losing _it._ With Nathan Scott". Peyton looks down at her shoes for a moment, obviously deep in thought.

"I don't know Haley. I mean, for all his faults and stuff, and the fact that he was a crap boyfriend, he was pretty hot"

"Peyton, that is not a reason to lose your virginity!" I gasp, showing just how naïve and immature I am.

"Yeah I guess not. But it means that when I do have sex with someone I really care about, I won't ruin it by being all nervous and stuff. And Nathan was pretty good"

"Must be all the practice," I say darkly, causing a loud guffaw from behind me.

"Is that Haley James being all cynical and bitchy?" laughs Brooke Davis, joining our little duo, making it a trio.

"Hey Brooke," Peyton greets Brooke with a hug.

"So girls, how was your summer?" Brooke asks, pulling her tiny back pack up with a perfectly manicured hand. Unlike me and Peyton, Brooke didn't have to spend all summer working at Karen's, Luke's mom's restaurant, now owned by Nathan's mum Deb. Her fantastically rich parents took her to the bahama's, and she now has a beautiful golden glow to show everyone just how perfect she is.

"Worky," Peyton replied and I held back on the naturally tutor response of 'worky' not actually being a word that was working its way into my mouth.

"We had to slave at Karen's," I agree, trying to smile about it. I'd actually really enjoyed it, but I wasn't about to admit that.

"So people, what lesson have you got first?" she asks, addressing the question at both me and Peyton.

"Algebra," Peyton groans, "because first thing on the morning, I really want to have to focus on numbers and rules". We laugh a little at this. Brooke turns to me, flashing her trademark white smile.

"What about you James?"

"American Lit." I say shrugging.

"Me too!" Brooke squeals, pulling me into a hug. I smile a little, a lot more uncomfortable about this little exchange than I care to admit. The truth is that it's no secret Brooke has the hots for Lucas, and so her being so nice to me makes it a lot harder for me to think she's a bitch, because basically, she isn't.

"We'll have to sit together," she instructs me, pulling out of the hug.

"What about your friends?" I ask, smoothing out my vest.

"They don't take American Lit." she says flippantly, gesturing with her hand as if brushing it off. I nod.

"God, can you believe we're juniors now?" Brooke yells, causing a few people to stare. I feel my cheeks flush up and stare at the floor. The thing is, I've never been big on attention. In other words, I hate doing anything that will bring any sort of scrutiny from other people onto me. That's why I've always been so happy to stay in the background.

Brooke suddenly grabs my hand and yanks me towards the door. "Lets go to class!"

**AN: Well what do you think? Please review and tell me what you think. I know that its not very exciting right now but i promise that will change. Please give it a chance! **

**Alix**


	2. You lie to yourself

**Twisted**

**You lie to yourself**

**Nathan**

"A new year, a new record," Whitey shouts, drilling yet another speech into me and my team mates. My best friend Tim is slumped against the back of the bench we're sat on, his eyes visibly drooping. I look over at my older brother Lucas being a geek as usual. His back is ram-rod straight and he's listening to every word that Whitey is saying. Sometimes it's so embarrassing that we're related.

"Please tell me its over," Tim groans beside me, leaning forward and dropping his head between his knees.

"But before I bore you to sleep," Whitey is saying, making Tim grunt beside me. I bite back on a laugh. "I'm going to let you get to your first lesson of the year on time". Wait, this isn't fair.

"We've got to go to lesson?" I ask in confusion, I thought we'd get to practice. I mean, Whitey has drilled it into us that this season is going to be tough, even for the Tree Hill Ravens.

"I think your academic studies are just as important as your game boys," Whitey says with a knowing smile. Lucas is swinging his bag over his shoulder and looking all nerdy and ready for lesson. I groan and grab my own back, swinging it over my shoulder. Whitey waves at us then heads for his office.

"So Nate, what have you got first?" Tim asks, jumping over the bench and dropping his bag, spilling its contents across the polished floor of the gym. What a goofball.

"American Lit." I state bluntly, clearly not in the mood.

"Hey, Brooke Davis has got that lesson," Tim yells, putting his hand up in a high-five gesture. I stare at it and head for the other side of the gym.

"And?"

"And Brooke Davis is one hot female. And she's pretty easy if you know what I mean," Tim raises one eyebrow in what he thinks a suave suggestion, but just looks like he's got something in his eye.

"Don't you guys ever get tired of treating girls like meat?" Luke asks, joining us at the door to the gym with his new best friend, Jake Jagelski.

"Don't you ever get tired of wasting my time?" I ask. Luke rolls his eyes. What annoys me most about my big brother – who is only older than me by three months by the way – is the fact that he always takes the moral highroad. He's like an old man stuck in a teenager's body.

"Hey man, it's not our problem if your girlfriend is like the mouldy meat that nobody wants," Tim says, cracking up and tapping my shoulder, expecting me to do the same. But for some reason, I only feel even more annoyed. Jake takes a breath in and I can feel Luke's calm façade starting to wear thin. His girlfriend is a sensitive issue with my older bro.

"Tim that wasn't funny," I say evenly, hoping to diffuse the situation a little. As much as I hate Lucas, I don't want to get into a fight with him in the gym in front of Whitey who could suspend me from the game. And knowing Whitey, he probably would.

"Too right it wasn't," Lucas mutters, pulling his bag up to his shoulders and storming past us. Jake follows him without a word. I throw one last withering glance at Tim and head for Miss Leblowski's American Lit. class.

* * *

"Nathan Scott," Brooke Davis greets me when I enter the class. "Park your butt down there," she instructs pointing to the chair in front of her. I smirk at her, her sparkling eyes, sexy smile and perfect figure. Tim's right, she is pretty hot, just not 100 right in the head. She likes Luke, explains everything. But still, I'd probably do her – and I will. I always get what I want.

"Hey Brooke," I say, taking in the fact that no-one else I know is in the class. I look at the girl beside Brooke and feel a heavy thump in my stomach. Haley James, Luke's deranged and annoyingly squeaky-clean girlfriend. Fantastic. I consider sitting besides Rory McGregor, the only empty seat left in the room, but realise that could hit my popularity a little. Rory has jam jar black glasses and a retainer for Gods Sake, like we didn't get rid of those in the seventh grade. I take the seat in front of Brooke and throw my bag under the desk, making sure that Haley knows I've seen her, and I'm purposefully ignoring her. Hey, I get kicks out of her hating me, what can I say?

I turn towards Brooke and slash my trademark smirk at her, the one that usually has girls collapsing because their knees have turned to jelly.

"So you got trapped in this class as well?" she asks with a cheeky grin. I nod and turn towards Haley.

"How's Luke?" Haley looks at me and sighs, like she's fed up which is absurd because I've only started talking to her, I've got the rest of the lesson to go yet.

"I really wouldn't know Nathan. He was with you in the gym so I'm guessing he's probably annoyed as hell," she says getting her pens and pencils out of her bag and placing them on her desk in order of tallest. Oh my God, I knew she was a geek but this is beyond nerdy. She sees me eyeing her pencils up and covers them with her hand indignantly, like I was looking at her underwear or something. Oh please, like I'd want to.

"Wow, I didn't know people actually did that," I say, leaning over towards her. She leans back a little and looks at me suspiciously.

"Did what?"

"Arranged their pencils like that. I though it was just the stereotype for geeks in Hollywood films. Guess their actually quite lifelike really"

"I guess they are". Haley looks me right in the eye and keeps her expression completely neutral, but there's something about her that's screaming for me to stop. Shame I never listen to what I'm supposed to do.

"Guess you and Luke are made for each other then". Haley sucks in sharply and looked around the room. I notice that the spare seat beside Dorky Rory has been taken by an unfortunate tennis player. I remember her to be Cassie Bourke, I laid her last summer.

Haley swallows and leans back in her chair.

"Suppose you can't escape that easily," I cockily smirk, purposefully leaning onto her desk. She looks uncomfortable and I notice Brooke scowling at me. Time to cool off.

"Ok Class, welcome to American Literature. I'm your teacher for this semester, Mr. Gary Dawes but you can call me Gary…"

"Why would we want to?" I ask loudly, and smile at the chuckles I receive. I turn towards Haley and she's scowling at me. As soon as I turn to her she flicks her eyes back towards the teacher and opens her eyes wide, as in she's listening. I shake my head and turn towards the front of the class.

"Thankyou Scott. I see we're going to be great friends. But for those of you in here who aren't juvenile delinquents, I'll continue my introduction. America has spurned out many fantastic writers, Salinger, Steinbeck. Just some of the better known".

"J.K Rowling," Kevin Foster shouts from the back row. I laugh at that.

"She's British you idiot," Rory turns and says bravely. Kevin Foster is 6'1 of raring energy and hard muscle. He's the hero of the Tree Hill football team. Obviously not as well known as the basketball team but still pretty good.

"It's a she?" I put in, trying to diffuse the situation for the second time today. Call me crazy but I don't want any fights on my first day. They're reserved for second. Everybody, including Kevin and surprisingly Haley join in the laughter, and I turn to the front again.

"Oh, this is going to be another fantastic year," Mr. Dawes mutters to himself despairingly, and I crack another smile.


	3. Hearts and Spades

**Twisted**

**Hearts and Spades**

**Haley**

So I made it. I made it through the first day as a junior in high school alive and, fortunately, unscathed. Ok, so it wasn't a fantastic day, but I _am _Haley James, school geek to the last. School is never going to be fantastic.

I mean, it all started wrong, what with Nathan Scott the Jerk and all. God I hate him _so _much. Where does he get off treating me like something he's wiped off the bottom of his shoe, when I'm worth, like, ten of him? I'll tell you, he doesn't. God he's such an absolute moron. How the hell he and Luke are related I'll never know.

What I really don't get though is how Lucas was the one who turned out nice. I mean, they both descend from he who is the epitome of all that is evil and wrong, Dan Scott, but while Luke's Mom just left him while she went off to pursue a cooking career in Italy, Deb Scott gave up her work and love for Nathan. It just makes you wonder.

"Hey," Luke says, breaking me out of my reverie. I look over to him; he's wearing his basketball kit with his favourite grey sweatshirt over the top from his Uncle Keith's garage. His blonde hair is damp from the shower and he smells of… well, just washed boy. I really can't describe it any deeper than that.

Right now we're sat in his bedroom, a place that had once filled me with dread but which is now oddly comforting. The smell of cedar wood and deodorant always manages to make me feel safe.

"Hey, do you need any help?" I ask, gesturing to the computer screen where his first Biology paper is stored. Every teacher in the school believes in not giving us homework on the first day back, except for Mr. Blumkiss, the Biology teacher who I, thankfully have not got.

"Nah, I should be okay. But a paper on our first day back is seriously harsh," Luke moans, stretching and allowing me a glimpse of toned abs.

"Yeah, I had him last year. Hated it," I say, getting up off the bed where I had been reading a magazine. I make my way to his computer desk and sit on his knee. "Why don't you take a little time off?" I ask, a small smile playing on my lips in what I hope is a seductive manner. Luke grins broadly, wiping a strand of hair away from my face.

"Well, I guess I could do with a break?" he says. I move closer and kiss him on the lips, running my fingers through his short blonde hair. He deepens my kiss, letting his tongue glide into my mouth and I capture it, somewhat greedily. I pull away and feel my cheeks flushing slightly. I feel like Brooke Davis, and what makes it much, much worse, is that I actually _like_ it.

"Oh, this is not a break Luke. This is definitely, definitely not a break".

Luke suddenly grabs me behind my knees and carries me to the bed. I giggle at this totally macho action and allow Luke to throw me down onto the bed covers.

"Well then, I'd better make the most of it," he says, before leaning down and kissing me. I welcome the comfort of his weight on top of me, not pushing, but still definitely _there_. I pull at the bottom of Luke's top and he pulls away, knowing what I'm trying to do. He raises his hands up as I pull his sweatshirt and his basketball jersey up in one fluid motion, and then lowers them again, pulling my green vest top over my shoulders so that I'm left with a black skirt hitched up to my thigh and a lacy black bra. Well, I'd made an effort on everything else, why not my underwear?

Luke rolls me onto the top of him and runs his hands up my waist, I return to kissing him, loving the way that this making out session is making me feel. Luke slips his hand into my bra and I feel myself pause. Even though this isn't the first time we've been to this base, I still get a little nervous every time we do. I quickly compose myself and return to kissing him, probing my tongue further into his mouth, pulling his head down on me. Luke pulls away and starts nibbling on my neck, I feel myself moan out.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry…" a voice from the doorway disturbs us both. I pull Luke's discarded Jersey and pull it up to cover my bra.

"Nathan!" Luke yells.

_Nathan_?

Oh yeah, I feel stupid.

Nathan closes the door quickly and I feel my cheeks flush a deep scarlet. He saw… Well, I mean he… Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

"Jeez, have you never heard of knocking?" Luke yells after him. I grab my vest and pull it over my head.

"I think that maybe I should…"

"Go?" Luke finishes for me. I bite my lip and nod. Luke shrugs and reaches for his grey sweatshirt. "Do you want a ride?"

"Um…" I falter pathetically, "No. No, I'll be fine. Besides, you need to get back to your paper right?"

"Haley, it will take me five minutes to drop you off. I don't mind, my paper can wait," he shrugs. His cool blue eyes are staring into mine and I feel a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. But I'm still just a _little_ too embarrassed.

"No, it's okay," I say, giving him a kiss on the lips, "I'll walk. I need the exercise". Luke laughs out loud and gives me a hug.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow then. Am I picking you up?"

"That would be great. Bye Lucas".

I let myself out of Luke's bedroom door and mentally inform myself that I will go to the hardware store on the way home and buy him a lock.

Okay, so all I need to do is get to the front door without bumping into Nathan. Simple, easy peasy lemon sque…

Crap.

Nathan is stood at the top of the stairs wearing the obligatory _Nike _Tracksuit. I take a deep breath and hope he wont say anything as I go past.

"So James, I guess your not as innocent as you make out, huh?" he says, his trademark smirk playing on his lips.

"Guess not," I shrug, walking around him to get to the top step.

"I'm kinda surprised," he states simply. I close my eyes and force myself to keep going. Okay, try to relieve the awkwardness here. Talk to him as if he were a normal human being and not the evil Scott sibling.

"Oh really? And why is that?" I ask, still descending down the stairs. Nathan falls into step beside me as I was dreading he would do.

"Well, you, and _Luke_? It's kinda strange y'know". I guess that he is talking about Lucas being a hunky Basketball player with goddesses like Brooke Davis hanging of him and me being, well, me.

"Well, Love is never plain and simple," I say breezily, fearing that I may turn around and punch him in a second.

"Love? Oh come on. You don't honestly think you two are _in love _do you? You're only seventeen!" he exclaims. I turn around on the third step from the bottle and gaze up at him, staring him right in those azure blue eyes which have been known to disintegrate a few women's clothing.

"Look Nathan. I don't want to have this conversation with you okay? Its none of your business and quite frankly, I cant stand you. You treat your girlfriends like crap and your brother even worse so if you don't mind, I'd like to go home and never see you again. But knowing, as I do, that this will never happen, I will resign myself to going home and not seeing you until American Lit tomorrow," and with that rather impressive speech, I turn on my heel and head for the front door.

I turn the handle and feel the cool breeze whipping my already tousled hair around my face. Ah freedom.

Well, _almost_

"You know what? Lucas is going to get bored with a goody two shoes nerd like you pretty soon," Nate spits out. His face is red and I realise that I've angered him. I guess no one's ever stood up to Nathan Scott before.

"Lucas isn't like that Nathan. He's not like _you_!" I shoot back.

"Oh please, Lucas is a boy Haley. If you keep placing him on that big white horse its going to hurt all the more when he falls off and screws somebody else. Have you even had sex yet?" he shouts. I feel my face flame up and look away. Nathan looks incredulously at me and opens his mouth to say something.

"What's going on?" A voice from the top of the stairs asks, cutting off whatever it was Nathan was going to say. Lucas is stood there, his hair rumpled and his shorts replaced with a pair of loose jeans. I look at him and feel like running up those stairs, falling onto my knees and kissing his feet.

I don't. I instead look up at him and smile, hoping that he won't notice how I want to stab his annoying and devil spawn younger brother right now.

"Um, nothing Luke. But, is that offer for a ride still open?"

**AN: Well, what do ya think? Do you ike it? do you not? Please leave a review:D oh, and sorry it took me so long to get my act together and write this but i did the first couple of sentences and then realised i couldnt go on from there and decided to scrap it and start again. Just a bit of useless info for you there! Love me xxxx :D**


	4. Learning to Cope

**Twisted**

**Learning to Cope**

**Lucas**

I saw something today. I didn't like it. I can't really define what it is other than by saying I just _felt_ that something was up. It's probably nothing.

But it _could _be everything.

Aw Jeez Luke, get a hang of yourself. I'm probably just being paranoid; I always am where my little brother is concerned. But I'm just so…_sure _that I walked in on something today. Something between my little brother, and my girlfriend.

I walked in on some kind of argument between them. That doesn't sound so bad, I mean they make no secret of the fact that they dislike each other. But it's what they were arguing over that bugs me. Her face was flushed with embarrassment and he looked troubled, somehow _hopeful_. That makes no sense, right? I mean, I'm just reading too far into this aren't I? Oh God, I hope I'm reading too far into this.

"Hey sweetie, Dinner's ready," Deb sticks her head round the door. So it's official, I _need _a lock.

"I'll be right down," I tell her, as she closes the door after her. I fall onto my bed and feel my head hit something smooth and glossy. I pick it up and inspect it – Haley's magazine. 'HOW TO ENTICE YOUR MAN!' The headline screams. I chuckle lightly and throw it onto my desk. Pulling off my grey sweatshirt I throw on a plain cotton T-shirt and head downstairs.

Nathan and my Dad are already sat down, and Deb is bringing a dish to the table. When I enter she smiles broadly and nods in the direction of the chair opposite Nathan. I reluctantly take it.

"Its Lemon Chicken and Mediterranean vegetables," she tells me. I inwardly groan. Ever sine Deb started running the restaurant as a favour to my Mom, she's been trying out all of these new recipes when we were perfectly happy with Beef Stew or whatever.

"Thanks," I say. Deb smiles and looks to her husband and son for some kind of confirmation. She ain't going to get it.

"So Nathan, Lucas, how was school?" she asks, serving us from the dish.

"Good," I say

"Crap," Nathan says. Deb smiles a little.

"Whitey still an ass?" Dad asks.

"No," I say

"Yes," Nathan says.

A silence ensues around the table, until dad deems himself worthy to break it.

"Its going to be a tough season, you know that?"

Nathan rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything, none of us ever do.

"I want you to focus 100 on that do you hear me? I know schoolwork is important, but, well, you don't need me to tell you what comes first right?"

"Schoolwork, absolutely," Deb says, literally risking her life. Especially when Dan throws an angry look at her.

"Just get us into the premierships okay. That's all I'm asking. Improve your game, and you'll be fine. Now, me, did I ever tell you that my average score per game was…"

"I'm finished," Nathan informs us suddenly, getting up from his seat and throwing his knife and fork down.

"Honey, you've hardly touched your…" Deb tries, but Nathan's made up his mind, he wants to get away from this table, this conversation, this Dad.. If only it were that simple for me.

"I didn't like it, it was horrible," he mutters, slamming the door on the way out. We're all left in silence as we finish our meal.

* * *

"Hi Mrs. James, is Haley ready yet?" I ask the pretty middle-aged woman opposite me. She's Haley's Mom and really nice. She didn't like me at first, but I'm slowly winning her round. 

"Oh you know girls Lucas. She'll be down in about five minutes. Come on in," she gestures to the lounge; I go in and sit down nervously. Haley's little sister Jessica is their, watching some cartoons before school.

"Lucas!" she squeals as I run in, I pick her up and give her a small swing, knowing that this is the only reason she likes me, no personality involved. She's the dead ringer of Haley, only five-years-old and they already have the same nose, mouth, eyes, and of course, the same auburn hair, only Jessica's is wavy and down to her waist. Haley usually insists on straightening hers.

I sit down on the couch and watch Scooby do his stuff. Hilarious.

"Luke! My Mom never told me you were here yet," a voice comes from the door. I turn and smile, admiring that which is Haley.

"Um, yeah. Are you ready?" I ask, looking at my watch and deducting that we have five minutes to get to school.

"Yeah, yeah. Just give me five minutes".

* * *

Not surprisingly, we arrive at school late and have no time to kiss or anything before running to our separate homerooms. Bummer, major. 

When I arrive, everyone is sat down ready and the teacher is looking at me crossly. I smile nervously and take the only seat available, next to Brooke Davis.

"Hey Luke," she greets me, smiling that well-known broad smile of hers and tossing her dark hair over her shoulders.

"Hey," I greet back. I watch as the teacher angrily re-marks her register, knowing that she'll give me a late mark.

"She's such an old hag," Brooke spits out suddenly. I turn and stare in confusion.

"Who?"

"Mrs Kracowski. Luke, if I ever turn out like that, promise me you'll shoot me".

I smile at the turn this unusual conversation has taken and mock a solemn expression. "I would be doing the society a service," I promise, raising my hand up to show scouts honour.

Brooke lets out a long hearty laugh and I like the sound of it. Brooke is a pretty cool girl. When all of the other cheer leaders were saying typical cheerleader things like, "eew" and "ick" around me, Brook made an effort to be nice. I like that.

"Mr. Scott. If you insist on being late then fine, but please do not disturb my homeroom with your _girlfriend_ there!"

**AN: Please review! Oh yeah, just so you know, Luke is clueless that Brooke likes him, he's a typical male, even when everyone else in the school knows. Next chapter will be complete NALEY!**


	5. Awakening

**Twisted**

**Awakening**

**Nathan**

She's in my homeroom. Haley James, extreme bitch-slash-nerd is in my homeroom. I hadn't noticed because I was with Whitey yesterday, but there she is, clear as day.

She's wearing a white shirt opening onto a plain blue T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Guess she's not trying to make as much of an effort today. I throw my bag down on a table at the opposite end of the class and sit down next to Tim, who is thankfully also in my homeroom.

She hasn't noticed me yet; she's talking to Peyton Sawyer, my ex-girlfriend and her best friend. She's laughing at something, I wonder what it is.

"Hey man, what's up with you?" Tim asks from beside me. I turn and look towards him.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, shrugging back into reality.

"You're like, in some kind of weird trance thing," he states, making his eyes go cross-eyed and cracking up. I shake my head in a pitying way and turn to face Haley.

Shit, she's looking at me.

I force myself not to turn around again quick, and stare her straight in the eye. She blinks rapidly, before turning back to Peyton. I award myself a congratulatory chuckle.

"Man, what is _up_ with you?" Tim asks shocked back into normal-eye position by my sudden laugh.

"Nothing," I shrug, pulling some gum out of my pocket, staring Mrs. Depratti, my homeroom teacher straight in the eye, daring her to enforce the 'no gum in school' rule. She doesn't.

"It's a girl isn't it?" Tim says suddenly.

"What?" I ask, narrowing my eyebrows. What the hell made him think that?

"You're going all distant and crap, just like you do when you find a girl you want to exploit and don't want to tell me about it."

"You are way off the mark," I object, and he is. I don't want to exploit Haley James; I want to yell at her and… I don't know; chase her out of the school?

"I'm not man. I'm telling you, you've spotted a new conquest to add to the Nathan Scott wall of shame"

* * *

I arrive at History early for a change. Something about what Tim said is bugging me. Generally this isn't a new experience, but today it's just that I actually think he wasn't talking crap. I feel a plan formulating.

"Hey Scott number two," Brooke greets me as she throws her bag down on the table.

"I'm number one," I answer confidently. Brooke cocks her head at me and smiles.

"Actually, you're the youngest so technically, you're number two"

"Technically I don't give a shit. I'm number one"

"Touchy. Did little Natey Watey get out of the wrong side of bed this morning?" Brooke asks in a baby voice. I laugh, knowing that she's referring to Lisa Matez, a girl from my Spanish class who like to use baby speak in the bedroom.

"Hey," Haley greets us as she walks in, taking her seat next to Brooke. Well, I say she greeted us, I mean she greeted Brooke and refused to look at me.

"Hi Haley," Brooke grins at her.

"Hey Hales," I smirk. Haley flashes me a look of annoyance before taking her pens out of her bag. I notice that she doesn't arrange them this time.

"My name's Haley," she corrects me.

"Okay Hales".

Gary walks in at that moment, which is kind of fortunate because Haley looks like she's about to jump over the table and impale me with one of her out of order pencils.

"Hey kids," he greets us. We all groan in return.

Gary looks around and shakes his head in despair. Only Haley and Rory look like they actually want to be here.

Suddenly the door to the class opens up and Miss Lomas, the school secretary walks in.

"Can I help you?" Gary asks politely. Miss Lomas looks down her bespectacled nose and surveys the class. Her eyes fall on Brooke.

"I need to steal Brooke from your lesson Mr Dawes," she tells him, nodding at Brooke.

Gary nods his head in a reluctant way and Brooke gets up, looking a little puzzled. As soon as she leaves I get up and take her seat. Haley groans and stares out of the window. I can see she's warming to me.

"Okay," Gary says, watching over the class, "I want you all to do the activity on page 12 in your Textbooks. Read the extracts then answer the questions".

I pull my textbook out of my bag and flick through it, knowing I'm not going to do any work.

I look over at Haley. She's already on the right page and she's written like a sentence. In two seconds. How geeky is that?

"Wow, you um… you write fast". Brilliant Nathan, that was fantastic. Worthy of the Nobel piece prize for outstanding conversation for definite.

"What do you want Nathan?" Haley asks impatiently. God, I can't believe I'm sucking up to her like this. Why am I even doing this? Maybe because I like a challenge.

"I was just you know, commenting on… on how fast you type – err, write. Is that a crime?"

Haley throws me an annoyed look and starts writing again. "And there was me thinking you were going to give me an apology".

What? Rewind and freeze. Me, owing Her an apology? Keep dreaming!

"What do you mean? An apology for what?" Yeah, the oblivious routine is definitely working for you Nate.

"Oh please, like you don't know!" Haley cries out. "For last night and the way you spoke to me! Don't act like it never existed Nathan; don't insult my intelligence that way"

Okay, swallow your pride Nathan. If you want this to happen you have to have to just swallow your pride. And stop thinking in first person.

"I'm… I'm" come on, you can do it, "I'm um, I mean, I was just a little shocked that you and Luke were, you know…" Okay, maybe you can't. I let the sentence trail off and notice that her face has closed up more. Damn, bad move. "I mean _you_ and _him_. I just never imagined that…"

"You don't think I'm good enough for him?" she asks suddenly. I stop what I'm saying and stare at her. What? How could she have interpreted it that way? I hate Luke.

"No, more like _you're _too good for _him_" Nice save Nathan my man, nice save. Papa would be proud. Ugh, bad thought.

"Excuse me," Haley looks incredulous. Okay, here goes, just swallow…the…pride.

"I'm sorry"

As Haley James' face softens I take into account the fact that mission 'Lay Haley' is now officially under way!


	6. Tell Me When it Changed

**Chapter six**

**Tell Me When it Changed**

**Haley**

Wow, I am in shock. Serious shock, but I'm trying to hide it. Why am I in shock? Well, that's pretty simple. Nathan Scott apologised. More specifically, he apologised to _me_

So I smiled at him. I don't know why, it's not like I want to encourage whatever sick game he's playing here, but the truth is, I was actually happy that he'd done what I asked him to. I know, I'm such a freak, like I want _Nathan_ to do what I say.

He's looking at me expectantly, like he wants me to say something.

"Thanks, I mean… apology accepted," I stupidly mumble. He nods with a satisfied smirk.

"So…" he starts, but then seems to falter like he hasn't actually thought about what he was going to say.

"Yeah?" I say, a little too quickly in my opinion.

"Uh, you going to the game this Friday?"

I look at him like he's mentally unstable. I mean, yeah, I hate basketball and all but…

"Well, my boyfriend does play for the team". Nathan looks taken aback, but he hides it quick.

"Yeah, I know but I just thought that… Well, it's no secret you hate the game Hales"

"My name's Haley," I say automatically. Damn, why did I do that? Just when we were actually getting along as well. This requires some quick thinking. "But it's the first game, and I'm going to support the team."

"Even me?" Nathan smirks. I bite back on a smile and nod.

"Even you."

* * *

I wait for Lucas round the back of the gym. Tonight, to avoid a repeat of the Nathan-Busting-In-On-A-Make-Out-Session thing, we're going to my house, and then to Karen's for dinner. Of course, being that it s no longer the first day of school, I now have a mountain of homework to do, so unfortunately I suspect there will be no make-out sessions today.

"Hey," Lucas greets, wrapping his arms around me from behind and kissing my temple.

"You ready to go?" I ask, trying to ignore the wolf whistles and cat calls coming from Luke's immature team mates, who are exiting the building behind him. Surprisingly, I find that Nathan isn't one of them. Instead he's staring at me with those piercing blue eyes void of any expression. It kind of gives me the shivers.

"Jerks," I find myself saying softly, though I'm not really sure who I'm talking about. Lucas laughs and speaks into my hair, making my scalp tingle in a nice way.

"So, need any more breaks tonight?"

It takes me a while to realise what he's saying but when he does I smile awkwardly.

"I don't know Luke, I've got like a mountain of homework…"

Luke looks slightly peeved, but he smiles anyway and pulls away from me. I follow him to his Jeep and climb in. Neither of us says a word the whole way home.

* * *

After an excruciating afternoon of homework and stilted conversation, me and Luke sit in Karen's, still being awkward with each other.

"Um, what are you getting?" I ask, trying to add a little, ooh I don't know, conversation to the silence.

"Chicken," he replies simply. I sigh and close my menu quickly. Peyton heads over with a waitress' apron on.

"Pey?" I ask surprised. "I thought this was supposed to just be a summer job."

"Yeah well, I got pretty dependant on the wages, who knew?"

I laugh at her uncomfortably. Peyton is a pretty small spender, so to hear that she needs money is kind of awkward. She straightens up.

"So, what can I get for you lovebirds?" she asks. I look up at Luke who still has his trademark brooding expression.

"I'll have a tuna salad," I say with a huge smile, trying to add enough cheerfulness for both of us as Lucas sure as hell isn't helping out.

"Chicken burger," Luke deadpans. Peyton gives me a look that says _what's up with him?_ I reply with a look that says _don't ask_.

Peyton rushes off with our order and I look at Lucas.

"What's wrong?" I ask suddenly. I hate confrontation but anything has got to beat this surely.

"Noth…" Lucas starts, but I cut him off.

"Don't you _dare _say nothing. You've been funny with me ever since I told you I had loads of homework."

"Yeah, well you've been funny with me since…" Lucas's face drops and he seems to be physically stopping himself from saying whatever he was going to say.

"Since when?" I ask slowly, showing Luke I mean business. It's not very often that I lose it with Luke, but when I do…

"Look, just forget I said anything okay? It's not important."

"Since when Luke?"

"I _said _forget it!"

I sit staring at Luke, anger welling up in the pit of my stomach. His fists are clenched and his eyes are glazed over with annoyance. I feel like screaming, like throwing the slat shaker at him, like throwing my chair over and storming out of the restaurant. I feel like actually throttling the jerk. But I don't. I don't because I am Haley James, and Haley James doesn't cause scenes.

**AN: Well, I know it wasn't very long but I haven't updated in a while and I wanted to get this out there. Next Chapter Nate and the boys get involved… dun dun DUNNNNNNNNN! Lol. Please review, I know I don't deserve it for taking so long to update but please :insert puppy dog eyes here:**

**Alix xx**


	7. I Write Sins, Not Tragedies

**Chapter Seven**

**I Write Sins, Not Tragedies**

**Nathan**

"Dude, it's Luke and his mouldy meat girlfriend," Tim calls out as soon as we enter Karen's. I roll my eyes and throw him a withering look. Me and the boys have been playing in my driveway all afternoon, and now we're hungry so… here we are.

"You know, She may be a dork, but have you ever seen Haley James in gym class?" Rob Klein asks. Tim and the others pull a face.

"Ugh, you like tutor girl?" Tim asks. "Huh, maybe you should start dating her or something! Oh wait, Lucas beat you to it."

"Only thing he's going to beat me at," Rob replies with a grin. "And I don't like her, just saying she has a great pair on her."

Payton suddenly appears in front of us, a hand on her hips. "Speaking of a great pair…" I say. Everyone but Jake guffaws.

"Ok, not even going to go there, but could you like, move away from the door? You're not the only people here you know."

"I know, Luke's here too, maybe we should go sit with him."

Peyton raises her eyebrows and Tim's jaw visibly drops. "Huh?" he asks.

"What? He's my brother right?"

I leave the boys dawdling behind and sit right next to Haley. She looks at me as if she didn't know I was here already. Maybe she didn't.

"What are you doing?" Luke asks, throwing me a filthy look. Filthier than usual… Actually, he looks mad.

"Eating dinner. Why, is that a crime?"

"Go away Nathan," Lucas tells me. His voice is low and kind of menacing. I look at Haley and she's staring hard at the table. Her cheeks are flushed and her hand is clenched into a fist.

"Trouble in paradise?" I ask.

Just as I say that, the others pull chairs over and sits down. Peyton appears behind them, throwing an apologetic look at Lucas.

"What the hell are you guys doing?" Lucas asks. His eyes are flashing with anger.

"Hey, maybe we should go," Jake says. He's already grabbing his coat like the wimp he is.

"Why? Can you guys feel the tension too? Did Luke finally fall off his white horse Hales?"

Haley's head swivels to me and her eyes lock on mine. Suddenly everything else feels distant. I can hear Luke's sharp intake of breath, Peyton's gasp and Tim's 'Luke has a horse?' But the only thing that seems to be in the here and now is Haley, and that indescribable look in her eyes. Its like a mixture of anger and pain. It actually hurts to look at.

A sharp pain across my face brings me back to Karen's. Haley's cheeks have flushed up and her hand is still raised in mid-air.

"Whoa!" Tim yells, high-fiving Rob. "tutor girl hit you!"

"What did you do that for?" I shout.

Haley's staring at me with her mouth hanging open. "I… I'm going to go…"

"Haley…" It's Peyton, but Haley is already pushing past her and heading for the door, her chair pushed across the floor. Peyton turns to me, "Nice one Nathan."

"What was _that_?"

I turn to see Lucas staring at me. His eyes are still flashing with anger, only now he looks dangerous too. I shrug, trying to wipe the whole incident away. It's shook me up more than I'd like to admit.

"Your girlfriend must have PMS or something," I say.

"You know Nathan, you're a jerk."

"Well, I may be a jerk, but I'm still getting your girlfriends panties in a twist." I'm goading him, I know it. I also know that it's not a good idea to start a fight in my Mom's café, but I can't help it. It's like the words just erupted out of my mouth.

Lucas doesn't rise to the bait though. He shakes his head and stalks out.

Tim sums the whole thing up pretty well: "That was some _weird _crap!"

* * *

"Son, can we talk?" 

Damn, I didn't make it. I was trying to get up to my bedroom without _him _catching me. Great.

"What?" I ask, turning round to face my dad where he's stood in the living room doorway.

"I just wanted to check in," he says, that smug smile on his face that means he's going to bust my chops about something. Oh yeah, and gloat - he's going to gloat too, about he he was and is better than me, and how he could still run rings around me on the court.

You would think that after seventeen years, these things would stop bothering me.

Huh.

"How's the game?" he asks. I shrug, staring at the stairs. "Are you still the best one out there?" My God, how is he not getting the hint?

"Dad, The only people I've got to compete against ar people like Tim and Jake. They're nothing compared to me, ok?" That's it Nathan, give him the ego.

"Well, there's Lucas too. He's got game Nate, I'd hate to see you upstaged by him."

"Not going to happen."

"Well, last year he gave you a run for your money Nathan. You've got to admit, he's good. Maybe he's even getting better than you…"

"Yeah? Well then maybe he's the one you should be unloading all your infinite 'wisdom' onto. I'm sure he'll be very grateful for it!" I yell. God, I need to get away from here. I run for the stairs.

"You get back here Nathan!" Dad shouts, but I ignore him. I've had enough of his constant crap.

I walk into my room, slam the door and turn some rap on full volume. The sound attacks my ear drums and I lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

The volume goes down and I feel a weight on the bed. I turn and see my Mom smiling down at me. I _hate _it when she does that.

"Hey sweetie," she says. I grunt in response. "I know he seems to be giving you a hard time, but he really does love you, you know?"

"Lucky me."

Mom smiles again. "Okay honey, I'll levae you here to cool off. Me and your dad have to go to some businessperson of the year thing. Should be fun, huh?"

I smile, despite myself.

Mom heads for the door, but just before she goes she turns back to me. "Oh, by the way, have you seen Lucas?"

I grit my teeth. "He's probably at his girlfriend's."

Mom nods and walks out. I don't bother turning the music back up. I stay staring up at the ceiling listening to the bustle below me as Mom and Dad get ready to go out. The jangle of car keys, my dad's bossy voice, Mom playing the pushover housewife. I close my eyes, just for a second…

But when I open them, the digital clock on my bedside table tells me its 8:15 - and hour since my Mom came in. I feel confused, trying to work out what's woke me up.

And then it happens again. A knock on the front door. I groan and pull a pillow onto my face. "Lucas!" I shout. He can be the one to get it. I want to go back to sleep.

Oh yeah, the life of Nathan Scott is just one long party.

"Lucas!" No answer. He still can't be in. I groan as I hear the knock on the door again.

"Alright, alright!" I yell at no-one in particular.

Who the hell's calling at this time anyway?

Oh, wait Nathan - it's just gone eight.

Ugh, I'm turning into an old man

* * *

**AN: Wow, well that was a long wait, huh? Well here's two chapters anyway. I would grovel and beg for forgiveness but its just not my style lol.**

**Next chapter will be up by tomorrow if I can get straight home from college tomorrow. Heres hoping...**


	8. Bittersweet

**AN: Part two of my apology!**

****

**Chapter Eight**

**Bittersweet**

**Haley**

Okay, so here's a good question: Why am I here? Seriously, why am I using up valuable homework time to see a boyfriend who made it quite clear that he's pissed off at me. What he hasn't made clear though, is _why _he's pissed off at me.

Oh yeah, that's why I'm here.

God, I really hope that it's Lucas who answers the door. I've tried ringing his cell and its switched off, and no one is answering the house phone. I knock again. I hate using the doorbell, Lucas always goes on about how obnoxious it is.

Well, this is the house of Dan Scott.

You know what? I don't think anybody is in, maybe I should just go. I can always talk to Lucas tomorrow, find out what the problem is and sort it out. Yeah, that's what I'll do…

Aghhh! Except the door is open! And it's not Lucas who's stood there. Oh no.

It's Nathan.

"Um… I-is Lucas there. Please. I mean… Is Lucas there _please_."

What the hell was _that _Haley James? Get a grip on yourself woman!

Nathan is looking down at me. His expression is unreadable, and his eyes seem to have some kind of blanket over them. Oh, he's seriously pissed off. Maybe I should pretend that it _wasn't _me who slapped him earlier. Yeah! Maybe I could say I have this totally deranged twin sister who we lock in the attic because she's crazy and goes around slapping jocks!

Oh yeah, _now _look who's deranged.

He's not answering me. Just staring. Hmm… Well, maybe I should apologise? But, wait! No way! He said something completely – what? What exactly did he say that was _so _bad it deserved a slap? He was just being his usual jerk self.

"Okay, look, you're obviously having some trouble voicing your no doubt _inspirational _words right now, so… I'm going to go. Uh, tell Lucas I called round."

Okay, that was kind of good! Better, at least, than an apology. Now I'm just going to go. Just slip away, quiet as a…

"He's out," Nathan says suddenly in a flat voice. Okay. So he's talking to me. Funny that I don't feel much better, huh?

"Right. Well, I'll see him tomorrow anyway so…"

"You came round here to see Lucas?" Nathan asks. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why else would I be here Nathan? To get some basketball tips off your dad? I mean, I love your Mom but we don't really have a 'social visits' kind of relationship."

"I was talking about me."

Despite myself, a huge laugh comes from my throat. "What? What _about _you?"

Nathan smirks, that slow, lazy smirk. Oh God, my knees feel weird.

Maybe I should go see a doctor about that.

"Well, you slapped me earlier Haley…"

"What? What, so you think that – that I slapped you because you incited some kind of passion in me? Huh?" I burst out before I can stop myself. Whoa, where did _that _come from? Time to do some damage limitation. "No, no _mister_! I feel _absolutely_ nothing for you Nathan Scott. You are… You are a _flea _on my radar!" Ha!

Oh, that did _not _make anything better.

Nathan is still staring at me with that grin of his. "I just meant that I thought you were here to apologise."

Are we suitably mortified Haley?

"Oh. Yeah, of course. Um… I'm going to go…" I say. Oh, my cheeks are boiling hot. I probably look like a tomato or something. I turn away and walk down the drive.

"Haley!"

What? What now? Has he not humiliated me enough!

Actually, I probably did a pretty good job of that myself.

"Yeah?" I ask, trying to be polite and resisting the urge of running as far and as fast as I can.

"You still haven't apologised." He walks across the drive to me and looks down at me. I take a breath. Am I really going to do this?

Suck it up Haley.

"I'm…"

"You know what? Don't worry about it. I was out of order today, I had no right to say what I did."

I'm sorry. WHAT? What the hell is this? Why is he being so… so _nice_?

"Are you high?" I ask, because it is the only reason my poor humiliated brain can come up with for Nathan's complete change of character. Nathan laughs.

"That's nice Hales, I give you a break – which, by the way, you didn't do for me this morning – and then you question my sensibility by suggesting I take drugs? I play for the basketball team Hales. Drugs tests mean anything to you?" He says all of this in a completely light voice, like he's making a joke.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

We stare at each other then. I don't know whether to go, or to let him go first. I about to say goodbye when he reaches down and kisses me on the cheek.

Seriously. Nathan Scott has just kissed me on the cheek.

"Nathan, why did you do that?" I ask, and I can't mask the suspicion in my voice. Horrible people like Nathan Scott do not change overnight. They do not go from throwing insults to throwing about kisses to nerds.

Not that I'm calling myself a nerd or anything, just… you know, some others might.

Some like Nathan Scott for example.

"What? I'm just saying goodbye!" Nathan laughs, thrusting his hands in his pocket.

"Oh, so you would kiss someone like Brooke Davis on the cheek as a way of saying goodbye?"

Nathan shrugs. "I might, except that she would take it as a come on and then who knows what would happen?"

I laugh at that. How can I not? It was kind of funny, and Nathan is saying it with such innocence.

"Right, well I'm going to go."

"Okay."

"Finally. I mean, we've completely dragged out this whole goodbye thing huh?"

"Yeah."

"Right." I stand there. WHY AM I NOT MOVING?

"Bye Hales," Nathan says, and he turns around back into the house.

See? He left first. He _can't _be after me.

Whoa! Where did _that_ thought come from? I mean, as if Nathan would be after me! He's the most popular guy at school. He's captain of the basketball team.

Huh, dream on Haley.


	9. Dazed and Confused

**Chapter Nine**

**Dazed and Confused**

**Lucas**

Well, that was interesting.

She still hasn't seen me. She's walking down the driveway with a dopey grin on her face.

Seems like only yesterday when my girlfriend would have left a conversation with my brother with a face like thunder and a few well-chosen insults.

Oh wait, it _was _only yesterday.

But not now. Now she is walking down the driveway with a dopey grin and absolutely no idea that I'm stood almost directly in front of her.

"Hey," I decide to speak up. My chest is hurting and I feel like talking might relieve the pressure. It doesn't.

She looks up at me and her eyes widen. A look of guilt briefly crosses her face to be replaced with something like annoyance.

Well, that's ironic. I've just seen her laughing and joking with someone she supposedly hates and _she's _the one that's annoyed with _me_.

"Lucas, where have you been?" she asks, hurrying towards me and pulling me down into a hug. I don't respond to it. She pulls away, hurt. "I've been looking for you."

"Really?" I ask. She narrows her eyes and nods.

"Yeah. Why else would I be here?"

I shrug. Why _would _she be here. Maybe, and stop me if I'm coming across as some kind of jealous idiot here, it was because she wanted to see my brother. Who she _slapped _earlier.

You know what they say about love and hate being similar emotions? Bullshit. Hate is hate, plain and simple, and judging by the way she was laughing and joking with Nathan just now, she doesn't hate him.

So what's left? Exactly.

"Lucas, what is _up _with you? You've been funny with me all day. What have I done wrong?" Haley asks, crossing her arms and looking defensive.

I consider telling her. I consider showing my jealous colours and coming across like a possessive, insecure little boy. I don't, but I consider it.

"Nothing. I'm just… I'm just tired. I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay?" I say. Haley nods. She hugs me again and I try and hug her back. It's not much, but at least I actually move this time.

"Bye," she says, reaching up and kissing me on the lips. Something comes over me, maybe it is the possessiveness that seems to have made itself so comfortable in my psyche all of a sudden, but I pull her closer and deepen the kiss. She moans a little, but she's kissing me back.

It's not the same.

I refuse to give up though, I bend down, not breaking the connection with her mouth, and pick her up behind the knees, lifting her over to the garden wall.

"Lucas," she says, in between kisses, "what are you doing?"

I don't answer her, I just continue to kiss her, grinding with her as she leans against the wall. I reach up under her top and feel the smoothness of her cotton bra. I moan.

"Lucas," she says again. I ignore her, put my hand under her bra. She pulls away from me. "Lucas stop!"

I take a step back. Her lips are swollen from so much kissing, and she's pulling her top down frantically.

"God Lucas, we're in the middle of the street practically. What are you doing?"

I stare at her, not sure what to say. "Uh, I just… want you."

A grin appears on her face. "God Lucas, when did you get so horny?"

I laugh. I'm forgiven. "Do you want a ride home?"

"Yeah."

* * *

After I've dropped Haley off I go straight back home. I feel like I've got some kind of snake stuck in my stomach, twisting and slithering about making me feel sick. It's an unshakable feeling and I know the only way to get rid of it is something that's going to hurt me more.

Nathan is in the front room, watching an old basketball game on ESPN Classic, lounging about king of the house. Well, I guess with Dan out that's exactly what he is. I may be the oldest but I'm also the outsider.

Not that I'd want to _belong _to _this _family. Please, with Dangerous Dan and Poisonous Nathan, it's the last place I'd want to belong.

Nathan turns around. I've been stood in the doorway for a whole minute now and he's only just noticing that there's someone else in the room. Someone who's hindering the breathing space of his enormous ego.

"You going to close the door?" He asks, turning straight back to the TV. I slam it open further.

"Why don't you close it?" I ask, heading for the stairs. It's a warm night, but the breeze is still cool. Cool enough to seriously bother my volatile little brother.

"Hey!" Nathan shouts, jumping up and walking to the bottom of the stairs. "What's your problem?"

That makes me laugh. What's my problem? There is so much Nathan! So Goddamn _much_!

"Have you lost it?" Nathan goes on. "Have you been hit on the head with a basketball and completely _lost it_?"

"No Nathan, have _you_?"

His eyes narrow. The door's still open, and a strong piece of wind whacks it off the wall. It sounds ominous. "You know what? Why am I even talking to you?" he asks, about to turn back to the couch.

"Oh, I get it, I'm a mistake right? Why would you waste your precious breath on the _mistake _of the family?"

"That's right Lucas! Glad to see you're finally getting it."

"Funny though, you wouldn't waste your breathe talking to me, but my _girlfriend _seems to be good enough for you."

Nathan's face drops for like a fraction of a second, and then his cocky smirk appears. God I want to punch that off him. "Right, you mean Tutor Girl? Dream on Lucas. She may be just about all _your _capable of screwing, but I tend to set my sites a little higher than sad and desperate."

"No, if I recall, sad and desperate is a prerequisite for getting into Nathan Scott's pants."

"Well, if that was the case, I'd have had Hales by now."

"Please, Haley is _not _like that. I don't know what your game is Nathan, but you better quit it."

"Yeah? Or what Lucas? What are you going to do?"

"Don't push me little brother. You'll regret it."

Nathan laughs again, but he doesn't say anything more. I go straight to my bedroom. A few seconds later I hear the front door slam. Nathan will probably go back to his game with his tale between his legs. All the while our conversation is going round in my head…

_I tend to set my sites a little higher than sad and desperate… If that was the case, I'd have had Hales by now._

_Hales._


	10. When You Want What You Can't Have

**Chapter Ten**

**When You Want What You Can't Have**

**Haley**

"So, why were you called out yesterday?" I ask Brooke as she takes her seat beside me. She rolls her eyes and smiles.

"Oh, that was just Bevin telling Mrs Klein that my grandma had dies so we could go for tons of ice cream and retail therapy," Brooke replies. My eyes open wide. Brooke seems to misinterpret this look of pure shock, as she leans over and says, in a quiet whisper, "Her boyfriend just dumped her."

"But, aren't you worried that might be tempting fate?" I ask.

"What? I don't have a boyfriend to dump me."

"I mean, saying that your grandma died…"

Brooke laughs. Not exactly the response I was expecting.

"What's so funny?"

We both look up to see Nathan throwing his bag down on the desk in front of us. Despite my best efforts not to, I smile at him. He wasn't in homeroom today and I have to admit, I was kind of worried about him. Just a little bit though. Not like I would be if it was Lucas, who, thankfully, is acting a little less weird around me.

"Oh, I was just about to tell Haley that both of my Grandma's are already dead." Brooke says, giving Nathan her 'lets just screw' smile.

Nathan raises an eyebrow. "Sounds hilarious."

"Oh, you just missed the conversation. I'm not catching you up on it, there are more important things at stake here." Brooke goes on. She leans over the table, her long brown hair spilling over her books.

"And what's that?" Nathan asks.

"Midnight Madness. I was thinking it might be fun if we… you know, kick the season off with a bang…"

Oh my God! Is she talking about… _sex_? No. Surely she's not… I mean, not in the middle of American Lit.

Right?

"Uh, what do you have in mind?" Nathan asks. Surprisingly he's not flashing that cocky grin. Instead he's looking quite… well, quite embarrassed actually. Weird.

"Well, I don't want to discuss it _here_. I'll tell you at Lunch."

Nathan looks at me, just for a second. I feel something in my chest, like a sharp pain. Maybe I'm getting a cold or something.

* * *

Lunch. Yup, 1:05 Lunch Time. Huh huh. God, why am I being so jumpy?

"Why are you being so jumpy?"

It's Lucas. You know, my _boyfriend_? Right Haley, pull your mind back into the here and now. Lunch time. With Lucas. My boyfriend.

"Hales?"

I freeze. Did Lucas just call me Hales?

"My name's Haley," I say somewhat automatically. Lucas gives me a strange look.

"Right. Well, I was just wondering where you are, because I don't think you're here." Lucas goes on. I look up at him, his eyes all puppy-doggish and lost looking. What the hell am I doing? I'm sat here worrying about a cheerleader and a jock and their private life, when my perfect boyfriend is sat right in front of me looking tired and confused.

"Lucas I'm just… I'm just worried about school work. I'm a little behind." A lie. And apparently a transparent one because Lucas doesn't look like he believes me for one second.

"Right, _you_ behind on schoolwork."

I sigh. "Do you want to go somewhere?" I ask. Lucas looks confused again.

"What?"

"Just throw off school for the afternoon, go to the beach or something."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?"

"I'm serious Lucas. I'm so tired and bored…"

"What of Haley? Because this seems a little out of character for you and I'm wondering if you're referring to school or… to something else."

What? Okay, this is officially confusing. "Um… what would that 'something else' be Lucas?"

Lucas shrugs. "I don't know, why don't you tell me when you figure it out."

He gets up and leaves, grabbing his book and doing what I can only describe as a storm out of the cafeteria. "Figure what out?" I ask myself.

* * *

I don't go to my lesson. I mean, I told Lucas I wouldn't and just because he's not here doesn't mean I can't still have a little fun.

I wasn't lying when I said I want to get out of here. Just for one afternoon I can be a rebel, not Haley James the perfect little Tutor Girl. _Oof!_

I've walked smack bang into someone's chest. It's a hard chest. A nice strong chest that smells of faint cologne and soap and washing detergent.

Oh crap, it's Nathan.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" He asks, pushing me back gently with his hands on my shoulder. I shrug them off quickly.

"What?"

"Why are you in a rush Hales?"

I don't correct him. I don't really want to. I mean, what's so bad about Hales? It's better than tutor girl. Although I'm still pissed with him, he…

Actually, why am I pissed with him, what has he done wrong?

Hmm… It's a dilemma to be sure. Or you know, not. God, what is _wrong _with me. Why am I turning into this flaky little ditz? That's not me! I'm sensible, I'm mature, "I'm cutting class."

Oh yeah, maybe not.

Nathan raises an eyebrow and that cocky smirk of his makes an appearance. "_You're_ cutting class?"

Why is he saying it like that? Like I'm not _capable_ of cutting class or something? "Yes," I say, all indignantly to show him that he's pissing me off. "Don't look so surprised, okay?" I whack him playfully on the shoulder. He laughs at me and pretends to rub his arm.

"Hey Hales! You don't know your own strength do you?"

I laugh at that. The idea that my little jab could even register on Nathan's pain meter is laughable. "Well stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like you're trying to figure out what planet I come from."

Nathan laughs again. I've never noticed before (probably because I never see him laugh) but his eyes kind of sparkle when he laughs, and his eyebrows raise up a little. He looks… well, to be honest, he looks kind of adorable.

Ew… Nathan Scott and adorable in the same sentence? The world's gone mad.

"Look, I'm sorry Hales, but have you ever missed class before?"

Well of course I've missed… um… wait, I must have missed some lesson before, I mean, what about illness and… oh God! I'm a geek! Last time I was sick I had a stomach bug and I was throwing up – and I dragged myself into school! I was sat in the class running out every five minutes to throw up, and I STILL CAME TO CLASS!

Nathan's still staring at me. "I didn't think so. You're a novice. You'll be caught in like, a minute." I go to protest but he stares me down. "Five, tops."

"Well… I'll just go to the beach or…"

"By yourself? Sounds fun. And besides, Mr Topsky has a free period next and he always goes home for it, and he lives by the beach."

"How do you know that?"

"Our beach house is right next to his."

"Ah yes, the infamous beach house. Home of wild parties and debauchery," I say. Nathan raises his eyebrow and I realise how dumb that must sound. Its not like I've ever been or anything. "I mean, so I've heard," I add in quickly.

"Well, if we stick around here we're definitely going to be caught. I know this arcade where the teachers never go. Come on."

He starts to walk off and I'm stood staring at him like a goldfish. He turns around. "Hales?" he calls.

"Y-you're coming with me?" I ask. He shrugs.

"Well, I'm late for my next lesson now anyway, and besides that, you _need _me so you don't get caught."

Relax Haley. It's only Nathan Scott. The biggest jock in the school, resident bully and womaniser.

Oh yeah, and your boyfriend's brother. What's not to be relaxed about?

"Hales, will you hurry up?" Nathan calls, and I realise I'm stood like a deer caught in the headlights. I run up to him and we walk across the car park.

"Lead the way," I tell him.

"Follow me young grasshopper, you have much to learn."

"Oh my God Nathan! You are such a geek!"

Arrgghh! Banter!

* * *


	11. The Song Remains The Same

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Song Remains The Same**

**Nathan**

You know how guys sometimes say it's a turn on when a girl beats you at a game? Like it's some kind of thrill that a girl is in control and thoroughly kicking your ass? Well I disagree. It's a total turn on when the girl is losing every game and thrusting her head in your chest to hide her shame. It's really cute.

Wait a second. Did I just say cute?

"Why did you bring me here Nathan? You should have known I have no hand eye co-ordination!" Haley screams, hiding her head in my chest again as a group of ten-year-olds laugh at the fact she just fell of her motorbike.

"Come on Hales, it's fun!" I tell her, not moving her from my chest which is shaking because I'm laughing so hard. She looks up at me and scowls. Then a smile breaks out and she laughs along with me.

You know, I've got to hand it to my big brother, he bagged a pretty cool girl. I mean, cool for ageek, at least. And I can tell she's melting her resolve. Give me another week or so and she'll be in my bed.

Of course, the fact that she's a virgin might make this a little more difficult, but what the hell right? Nathan Scott never ran away from a challenge, and he's never lost one either.

Haley drags me by the elbow and I see she's pulling us towards the dance machine. Whoa no!

"Hey, something I might actually be good at? I may not be able to ride but I can dance!" Ride? She seems to realise what she's just said and hides her head in her hands. "Oh please tell me I didn't just say that."

I laugh at her and she raises her eyebrows. "How about it? You can bounce a ball but can you dance to a tune?"

"Hey, I don't just bounce a ball alright? And no, no way am I embarrassing myself on that thing."

"Oh, you mean like I didn't just embarrass myself on that motorbike you promised me I would be _so _good on?" she asks, putting her hands on her hips.

"What can I say? I thought you had the legs to straddle something hard and…"

"Whoa! Stop right there Mr Scott! Come on Nathan, I'll pay for you."

She has these pleading puppy dog eyes and she looks… Oh God, she looks cute. There, I said it.

"Fine," I answer, not completely sure that I'll ever be able to retain my dignity.

"Woo hoo!" she yells throwing her arms up like she's about to hug me and then seemingly changing her mind. It's funny, she's been burying her head in my chest all day but the second it comes to something like a hug, she can't seem to do it. Well, I'd better change that one soon.

We both step onto the dance machine and Haley is about to put the change in but I stop her, pulling two coins out of my back pocket and paying myself. Hey, it's only my Dad's money after all. It's not like he'll miss it.

"Thanks Nathan," Haley says, selecting a dancer. I copy her, ending up with a skinny white dude with bright pink hair and a neon green leotard. I picked him by accident. I look over and see that Haley's chosen a girl with short black hair, an orange mini skirt and a yellow belly top or something. I smirk.

"Is that the inner you?" I ask. She laughs and points at my guy, who is doing a retarded shake or something.

"Is that you?" she asks.

"Doesn't count, was a complete accident," I say deadpan. Haley laughs but doesn't reply as the song starts. Some kind of ravey thing that I've never heard. A blue up arrow appears on the screen and I press up. Nothing happens. I press it again but the little arrow is still making it's way to the top of the screen. "Mine's not working!" I tell Haley.

She looks at me and laughs. Then steps on 'up'. A 'COOL' appears on her screen. A 'BOO' appears on mine. What the hell? I didn't even do anything! I hate this stupid game!

"You step on the arrow when it reaches the line at the top," Haley yells over, stepping on the right arrow and getting a 'GOOD'

Well, I guess that does it because pretty soon, I'm laughing and jumping about like an idiot as all of the arrows seem to come on at once. I must have a natural rhythm or something because I don't completely suck. Haley is practically crying with laughter beside me and winning by about ten thousand points. Trust me, it's only a slight exaggeration.

Finally the song ends with me doing a spin and Haley jumping on two arrows at once. Huh, and I thought Basketball was a workout. The thought of Whitey forcing the basketball team onto a dance machine and shouting "Come on son, don't be a girl! Hit that arrow!" makes me laugh again. I step off the machine and Haley does the same, doubled over laughing.

"That was fun," she says, straightening up and wiping her eyes. "And I found something that you're not great at."

I frown at that. What does she mean something I'm not good at? Like there's only one? Then I get it. To everyone who isn't my dad, I'm a pretty accomplished guy. I can play pretty much every sport I put my hand to. It's a good job she hasn't seen my academic grades. I'm not sure that 'Operation Lay Haley' will work so well if she knows I'm not some kind of genius.

"Hey are you okay? I was only joking, you weren't too bad," Haley says, taking my silence as annoyance or something.

"Too right I wasn't. I reckon if we played again I would totally beat you."

Haley smiles. "Oh really Mr big shot Basketball captain? Is that a challenge?

"I guess it is."

* * *

Roll around to Midnight Madness, one of the biggest events of the school year, when every freshman is allowed to stay up past midnight. We kick the season off in style, and the even Brooke has planned is going to kick it off even better than every other time. As it should, seeing as we're seniors and everything.

I was kind of annoyed that Haley never asked me about Brooke's plan. I mean, it sounded pretty obscene the way Brooke was being all secretive about it. I actually thought that she wanted us to have sex for a minute, and for some reason I wasn't completely thrilled with that.

Maybe I'm just not attracted to Brooke.

Yeah, as if. Anyone not attracted to Brooke Davis is clearly gay. The girl is HOTT. I was probably just worried that it would get in the way of 'Operation Lay Haley' or 'Operation Lay Hales' as it's come to be known in my head.

I'm sat in the locker room now, with my team mates milling about getting excited that basketball season is about to start. Lucas is sat down to, and every now and then I catch him glaring at me. Huh, he's quicker than I thought. He can tell I'm after Haley, and he probably knows that I'm not after her personality.

Not that it's a particularly bad one, it's just… well, you know. Whatever, I just want to screw her and then I'll be happy.

I can hear Whitey's voice threw the paper Raven's emblem at the players entrance. "Welcome everyone to Midnight Madness!" Cheering. "Are we ready to kick off the new season with a bang?" Cheering.

And then Brooke's voice. She's already out there now, after the cheerleaders have just performed their dance.

"Hey Tree Hill!" she shouts. All of the guys look kind of confused, and Lucas' head whips around faster than anyone else's. You know, if I was a nicer guy, I might of tried to fix Lucas and Brooke up, but then, Haley's no fun if she's not attached to Lucas.

"I'm Brooke Davis, Captain of the Tree Hill Cheerleaders, and because I'm cuter than Whitey – no offence there Coach Durham sir – I'm calling out the Tree Hill Ravens this year. So, without further ado, would you welcome the Tree Hill Ravens!"

The crowds erupt. "Come on Guys," I order, standing at the Players Entrance while everyone scrambles around behind me. When I'm sure that we're all set, I break through the paper and the sound of the crowd is deafening. It's like one long roar.

This is what I love about basketball, besides the actual game, the glory. The power that you get just by being good at something. By being the best.

* * *

"What's going on?" Lucas asks, sitting in the back of the school bus next to Jake with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. It's starting to get annoying. Haley is sat in front of him looking confused.

"Okay, okay," Brooke shouts. The bus is filled with basketball players, cheerleaders and a few other people like that Skills guy who's dating Bevin and Nose or something like that. Something to do with the face anyway.

"Uh, yeah, I need to get home for Jenny," Jake says, freaking me out once again with the fact that he has a child at the age of seventeen.

"All taken care of Jake. Jenny is at my house with my parents who, by the way, find her adorable. Now, you're probably all wondering why you're all crammed into the back of a stolen school bus heading for the beach, right?"

"Oh my God, this bus is stolen?" Haley cries out. I can't help but smile at her. She's actually scandalised, like we haven't done this tons of times before.

"Oh, nobody will miss it," Brooke says, waving it off. "Our first game is on Friday, and because you all want to be lilly fresh for it, that means no drinking tomorrow night. However, that means tonight is free so we…"

"Party!" Tim screams.

"uh huh," Brooke goes on. "Nathan Scott, your team captain has kindly agreed to loan out his beach house for a night of drink, music and general wrongdoing."

The bus cheers, except for a select few.

"uh, so why are we here?" Nose asks.

"because I happen to like you and your fellow civilians. Guess you're just lucky."

"So wait, you're telling me that you've kidnapped us and stolen a school bus just for some wild party? And that was the 'big bang' plan?" Haley asks.

Brooke nods with a huge grin on her face. "Uh huh."

Haley looks like she might punch her, but then her face relaxes and she laughs. "Cool."

* * *


	12. Almost Hear You Sigh

**Chapter Twelve**

**Almost Hear You Sigh**

**Haley**

"Wow, how cool is this?" Peyton asks, tripping over Tim who is lying on the floor trying to see up Ashley the cheerleader's skirt. She's holding a red cup filled with what I'm guessing is beer, and her eyes are kind of glazed. Oh she's long gone.

"And how _drunk _are you?" I ask, laughing. I've got to admit, this party is pretty cool. We're all going to go to school tomorrow feeling like zombies but what the hell right? At least we've partied _hard_!

Oh, I am so worried. This doesn't sound at _all _like me. But then, having three beers doesn't really _seem _like me either. Hmmm…

"Have you seen Lucas?" Peyton asks. "He's being all broody out by the pool. I think Nate's planning on pushing him in. Maybe you should save him!"

"Yeah!"

"Oh my God, what a plan! We'll both _save _him! Like… Like Charlie's Angels minus one!"

"Hey girls," Brooke says, coming over with a blue cup.

"Brooke!" I yell. I don't know why I'm yelling because she's right there. "Brooke you can… you can be the third angel! We can be like, like Charlie's Angels."

"No," Peyton yells suddenly. "We can be _Lucas_' Angels because that's who we're going to save!"

Brooke gives us a funny look. "Okay, you two really can't handle your drink can you?" then she kind of squints at Peyton. "Except… Except you usually can. What have you been drinking P. Sawyer?"

Peyton shrugs. "A little bit of this… little bit of that…"

For some reason I find this hilariously funny. I burst out laughing and Peyton joins in.

"Wow, you two are going to be no good for school tomorrow. Do you want a drink of water?"

"Water!" I gasp. "Lucas and the pool." Just as I say this there is a large splash. I rub my ears but then they're filled with laughter. What the hell?

Brooke gasps. "Lucas is in the pool!"

The three of us run out to the pool, were Lucas is pulling himself out with a furious look on his face. Nathan is stood with his cocky grin. My knees go weak.

Uh, I have been drinking way too much.

"You jerk!" Lucas shouts, pushing Nathan as soon as he gets out.

"Luke relax, it was just a joke," Tim is saying, trying to calm him down. Wait, Tim?

"Yeah, _everything _is a joke to Nathan Scott, hot shot rich boy who thinks Tree Hill belongs to him!"

"Lucas," I say, stepping forward and putting my hand on his arm. He gives me a cold glare that has me reeling.

"What's the matter Lucas? Scared of the water?" Nathan asks.

It all happens so quick that I barely register it. Lucas's arm swings up and his fast catches Nathan bang on the nose. A single gasp rises up from the crowd.

Everything is still for a second, and then Nathan pounces on Lucas and they both go back into the pool.

And because I was holding Lucas's arm, I go in with them.

The water rushes up past me, and the world is blue. I try moving my arms but they won't move. They're too sluggish and I feel like I'm in treacle. I open my mouth to yell, but a rush of water goes into my mouth and down the back of my throat.

I hit the bottom of the pool with a silent thud. bubbles cloud up my vision. I find myself thinking how weird it is to drown at a party, when everyone is too drunk to save me.

Oh well... Guess I'm going to drown...

* * *


	13. But It's Better If You Do

**Chapter Thirteen**

**But It's Better If You Do**

**Nathan**

"You jerk!" I yell, punching Lucas. We're in the deep end of the pool and it's a struggle, but I don't care. My jaw is throbbing and the only thing i can feel is red hot anger.

Lucas takes the punch to his nose. blood spurts out but he doesn't seem to feel it. He grabs my arms and I grab his, and we both duck under the water for a second before bobbing back up.

"Haley!" A scream pulls me away from the fight. Peyton is kneeling by the water with a hand to her head. Brooke is holding her back. Suddenly it dawns on me that Haley isn't anwhere to be seen. I vaguely remember pulling someone into the pool, but that wasn't...

A punch to my eye knocks me from my thoughts. Lucas hasn't heard the shouts.

"Haley's at the bottom of the pool!" Brooke shouts in our direction. Finally Lucas seems to snap out of whatever rage he was in. We both back off and look around us. I see a green and brown mess at the bottom of the pool.

Hales.

I take a breath and duck down. It's a long way down but I get there. Her eye's are closed and small bubbles are clinging to her eyelashes. Lucas appears beside me and scoops her up, taking her up to the surface. I follow behind them.

When we get up, Lucas drags Haley up onto the patio and Peyton drops down beside her, cryin and pushing hair off Haley's forehead. I swim over and pull myself out.

"Haley," I say, hoping to God that she's ok. I start pumping her chest as Lucas pulls himself out and kneels down beside me. Nothing's happening. I pump again.

"We need to call for an ambulance," Brooke cries.

"Try CPR," Nose says, appearing at my side. I look over at Lucas but he's in shock. He's just staring at Haley with this really guilty look on his face.

"Lucas!" I yell, pumping Haley's chest again. He looks at me but shakes his head.

"I can't."

I nod. I get it. I lower my mouth to Haley's and give her CPR. Even in a comotose state, Haley is doing weird things to my stomach. I pump her chest again and she coughs out water. She's alive.

Her eyes flutter open gently. She barely says anything, just manages a 'huh' and then closes her eyes again.

"Keep her awake," I order to Brooke. She nods and steps away from a worse-for-wear Peyton. I stand up and shout. "Is anyone here sober?"

"Are you kidding?" Tim asks. "There's free booze here."

"I'm sober," Nose offers.

"Can you drive?" I ask.

Nose nods. "I was going to drive the school bus back tomorrow."

"Right, Lucas help me bring Haley to Dad's car. The keys are in the study, Tim, go and grab them..." Wait, Tim? "Actually, Dave, you get them."

Everyone gets about their jobs. Haley is staring up at the sky while Brooke strokes her forehead and talks about clothes or something. Lucas shakes his head, finally seeming to get his head together and sits Haley up, draping her arms around him. She somehow manages to throw the other one around him so that she's just hugging him. He scoops her up and walks through the beach house, followed by Nose. Brooke starts crying and pulls me into a hug.

I really don't have time to comfort her right now. I start to walk away but Brooke holds onto my arm. "Where are you going?" she asks.

"The hospital."

"Oh. Well, I think Lucas can deal right now Nathan. I mean, you've been great, _really_ great but... I think Lucas has got it from here."

"I guess..." No, I'm going. I am _way _too worried about Haley to just go back to drinking and dancing. Dave appears at my elbow.

"I got the keys Nate."

I look at Brooke and shrug. "I'm going Brooke. Besides, I need to check my jaw out. Lucas may be weak on the court but he's got a pretty cool right hook."

Brooke nods, but she's giving me a knowing look that I can't quite fathom.

* * *

I hate hospitals. All the white, the starkness, the smell.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asks. Lucas is still holding a sleepy looking Haley, and Nose - who is actually Mouth, apparently - is stood around looking nervous.

"Uh, the girl she... uh she drowned." Damn, I have no idea what to say. The receptionist nods.

"Right..."

Lucas steps forward. "She's been drinking alcohol, she fell in the pool and went straight to the bottom. She was down there for about a minute or maybe more, swallowed some water which we managed to make her cough out, and while I doubt there is any serious brain damage but we wanted to bring her just to be on the safe side."

Well, he's recovered.

The receptionist smiles at him. "Name?"

"Haley James," Lucas answers.

"Well, take a seat, I'll go and get the doctor. Do you want anyone to see your faces?"

Lucas looks confused, but the throbbing in my jaw and the aching in my eye keeps me in the loop. Lucas is sporting a bloody nose and a black eye. We're going to look so _cool _for tomorrows match.

"Uh, I'm fine," I say. Lucas nods in agreement and we all take a seat as the nurse goes wherever she's going.

Lucas is looking at Haley and biting his lip. "What's up?" I ask.

Lucas looks up at me surprised, like he wasn't expecting my sympathy. Can't say I blame the guy really.

"She should be pretty much fine by now. She shouldn't still be this sleepy," he says, brushing a strand of auburn hair out of her barely open eyes. Her lips are dry and she's staring at the ceiling.

Suddenly her eyes switch to me and she doesn't move them. Lucas notices but doesn't say anything. A muscle in his jaw is twitching though.

"Haley James?"

We all look up to see a blonde doctor carrying a clipboard with the obligatory stethoscope. Lucas nods and me and Mouth get up to join him.

"Uh, we don't need all of you, just one," the doctor says. Mouth sits back down, and I seriously consider grabbing Haley off Lucas and running after the doctor, but that would be stupid. After all, she's his girlfriend.

* * *

I hate, _hate, _HATE hospitals. Especially this part. The waiting. I look up at the clock - half three. W'e've only been her half an hour. Mouth is sprawled out across a row of chairs and seemingly falling asleep. I can't though. I keep looking back to the corridor Haley and Lucas went down.

3:32.

I wonder how everyone is doing back at the party. Everyone was so drunk that Haley falling into the pool would hardly of registered as a buzz kill, but I feel completely sober.

3:33

When I saw her form at he bottom of the pool...

"You BASTARD!"

Mouth jumps up and I turn to see Lucas walk down the corridor, his fists clenched and his eyes sparking with anger.

"What's the mat..." I'm cut off as a fist connects with my jaw for the second time tonight. A sharp pain explodes and rattles my brain. I clutch my jaw and straighten up.

"What the _hell_?" I yell. I can see security running up towards us.

"What did you give her?" Lucas yells. What is he _on_?

"I don't know _what _you're talking about but..."

"Don't bullshit me Nathan. I know you, I know this twisted little plan you have to somehow seduce Haley just to prove you can."

How the hell does he know that.

"I _know _you Nathan!" He yells, as if reading my mind. "Haley may have fell for your 'I'm a cool guy act' but I sure as hell never. I thought you were bad Nathan but this... this is just _sick_!"

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" I yell as the security men circle us. They don't seem to want to get involved.

"the _drugs _Nathan! The drugs that Haley got spiked with!"

3:35

* * *


	14. A Bullet For Everyone

**Chapter Fourteen**

**A Bullet for everyone**

**Haley**

_Bang. Bang._

Ok, actually it's a knock, but my head is pounding so much that the sound of a fly ten minutes ago sounded like a chainsaw. I struggle to my feet and practically crawl to my front door.

You know, I should be so proud of myself. My first full day off school. I actually wanted to go in and laugh at all the zombie hangover kids, but my parents and Lucas told me it was out of the question. Lucas was even going to take the day off to look after me but I refused to let him, I know how harsh Whitey is when his class miss even one lesson, never mind a whole day's worth.

_Bang, bang, bang, BANG!_

"Okay, okay," I croak. My skull feels like it's just been wrenched open with a sledgehammer. Ugh.

I open the door and see a _way _too cheerful looking Brooke.

"_Good _morning Tutor Girl!" she greets, handing me a huge basket and walking into my living room.

"Come in," I croak, trying to be sarcastic. I look at the basket as I slump back onto the sofa. It's filled with cookies and chocolates and a huge teddy bear. "Brooke, this is… this is so sweet. But shouldn't you be at school?"

Brooke grins at me. "I'm making the rounds. Peyton's off school too."

Peyton? I vaguely remember her being kind of drunk and completely out of character last night. "Too much to drink?" I ask. Brooke shakes her head, looking sad.

"No, she got drugged like you."

I groan at that. I mean, who _does _that? I'm so relieved that nothing bad (apart from the dunk in the pool) happened to us. At least, nothing bad that the asshole who drugged us might of wanted.

But then, who the hell drugged us? I mean, I think Lucas has an idea, but he's not telling me.

"I heard about the fight at the hospital last night."

I drag my head up at Brooke. She's biting her lip and looking concerned. "Lucas and Nathan have been completely awful to each other all day. Not like they aren't always, but worse than that. I've never seen Lucas so… dangerous looking."

"Just because Lucas got dunked? Or was it because I got dunked?" I ask. A fight? At the hospital? I remember Lucas storming out but I thought he just wanted air. After all, he'd just found out that his girlfriend's drink had been spiked. I didn't even know Nathan was there.

"Haven't you heard?" Brooke asks.

"Heard what?"

Brooke takes a deep breath. "Okay, I know I shouldn't be the one to tell you this, but if I don't I don't think anyone else will…"

"Take a breath Brooke," I order with a laugh. She just said the whole sentence in a rush that I'm not entirely sure what she said.

"Um… Lucas has this idea – completely irrational and stupid I'm sure – that… that um…"

"Spit it out Brooke!"

"Lucas has this idea that it was Nathan who spiked your drink."

Silence.

Nathan?

"I know, it's completely stupid because why would Nathan spike your drink? Of all the girls there why would he just drug you and Peyton, not that I don't love the two of you, but cheerleaders in short skirts? I mean, I know they're pretty easy and everything but still, you were wearing jeans and a sweater with no cleavage and…"

"Brooke, you're rambling," I say quietly. I want her to shut up. I want to get my head straight and process what she just said.

Nathan?

The idea that it was Nathan feels like a punch to my gut. I mean, I've seen a different side to him these last few days. If it was him, then this side I've seen was a complete joke.

"Haley?" Brooke asks.

I look up and stare her straight in the eye. "Do _you _think it was Nathan?" I ask. Brooke actually laughs at that.

"No! I mean, I know he can seem like a complete jerk sometimes, but he's not desperate and he's not stupid."

"but you've got to admit, he's treated his past girlfriends like crap."

Brooke looks stuck for things to say. "I… yeah, I guess but…"

"So he has no respect for girls?"

"Haley! Stop, okay. Nathan would _not _spike your drink. I saw him, I saw the look on his face when you feel to the bottom of the pool, when he refused to stay at the beach house instead of going with you and…" she gasps, putting a hand over her mouth. "I've said too much."

Tears spring to my eyes. "What was his face like? Filled with guilt? Maybe he wanted to go to the hospital so that the doctor would tell _him _that I'd been drugged and Lucas and the rest of you would never know! Maybe he was _devastated_ that his little drug plan wouldn't work! Maybe…"

"He's in love with you Haley!"

"What?"

Brooke puts her hand over her mouth again. The room seems to spin and I think I'm going to be sick. "No… no that's stupid." I actually laugh. I don't feel like it but I need to relieve this tension somehow. "Nathan Scott hates me."

"Not anymore Haley. I know him, okay? I know how his mind works, how his _heart _works, and I know that the look on his face when you came out of that pool lifeless was _not _guilt, or anger, or anything like that. It was pain, pure pain and… and concern and anguish… Haley, where are you going?"

I'm stood up, pulling my denim jacket on over the sweats I'm wearing. "I need to go into school."

"Why?"

"Why do you think? I need to talk to Nathan and…"

"What about Lucas?"

Lucas? Crap, I'd forgotten about him. Oh God, I'd forgotten about my own boyfriend. What kind of girlfriend am I?

"Well, it's not like I'm going to jump Nathan in the middle of the corridor, we're just going to talk and…"

"Okay, okay Tutor girl?"

"What?"

"You are _not _going into school like _that_."

* * *


	15. The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Tak

**Chapter Fifteen**

**The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off**

**Brooke**

"I look like Hooker Barbie," Haley says, surveying her appearance in the mirror.

What is she talking about? She looks _adorable_! Hair straightened, a long sleeved pink tee with just a _hint _of cleavage and a denim mini that shows off her – I've got to admit it – fantastic legs.

"Oh shush. You look gorgeous tutor girl."

"I wish you wouldn't call me that," Haley says with a scowl.

"Why it's an affectionate nickname, and don't do that, you'll get wrinkles."

She scowls more. Why do I even try?

"So, do you know what you're going to say?" I ask. What I really want to ask is if Lucas will be available after all of this, but somehow I don't think it's appropriate.

"um… I don't really know. I don't even know why I'm doing this."

"Do you love him?" I ask. I've never really considered it, but if she's getting so worked up about this, the only thing I can figure is that she's returning Nathan's _ardour_ and that means that Lucas will be officially on the market, looking for a rebound girl and a shoulder to cry on.

Unfortunately, Haley kind of ruins my little fantasy with a loud "No!"

Okay. Maybe Lucas _won't _be back on the market. Damn.

"I mean, it's Nathan Scott," Haley says.

"And… I know a lot of girls who have are 'in love' with Nathan Scott."

"And I have Lucas…"

"Do you love _him_?"

She looks at her reflection in the mirror again. She is taking way too long to answer this.

"I'm in High School Brooke, I mean, what if what I think is love is just infatuation?"

Hmm… Are we referring to Nathan or Lucas here? And she didn't say yes to the Lucas question. Maybe there _is_ hope for a little Brooke Lucas action after all.

* * *

Ah, school. I _love _it. Full of interesting people, and cheerleading. What's not to love? If everything falls to crap and I end up as an obese spinster with seventeen cats, at least one thing is certain: I had High School down!

"You know, this is probably a stupid idea," Haley says suddenly. "I mean, what _am _I going to say? 'So Nathan, I hear that you _love _me'?"

Ah Haley, so cute. "Calm down tutor girl. Just pull him to one side, say that you heard what Lucas thinks and you don't believe him, and then ask him what's going on or something like that?"

"What's going on? How… how do I even _say _that?"

"Well it's simple, see… oh who am I kidding, I don't know the scientific way to speak. Just open your mouth and words come out."

Haley glares at me. Just behind her I can see Nathan walking across the quad with Dave and Tim.

"Nathan Scott!" I yell. Haley turns quickly to where he's stood and then turns back to me, a look of pure panic etched on her face.

"Brooke!" she whispers with gritted teeth. Geez, what is _wrong _with these people. You do someone a favour and it's like you've just signed a death warrant. I look over for Nathan's reaction at seeing Halye up and running in the school but I don't see one. His eye's are stuck on me.

And then I realise, he thinks Haley knows about Lucas' theory, and that she'll probably believe it.

When he reaches us, him and Haley both speak at once.

Him: "Look, I…"

Her: "Nathan, we…"

Silence.

Okay, Brooke davis to the rescue. "Okay, you two need to talk, and I know an empty music room that is never used by anyone but horny teenagers and…"

"Brooke!" Haley yells.

Nathan doesn't look fazed though. He put's his hands in his pockets and cocks his head. "Let's go." The two of them walk off. Mission accomplished.

"What the hell?"

Damn, problem. Lucas Scott has just seen his girlfriend walk off alone with the guy he think's spiked her. Time for some damage control.

"Lucas!" I say as he comes storming past me. I grab his arm in the firmest way I can and thankfully he stops.

"Where the hell did he take her?" Lucas asks. I look back and thank God that they're out of view. I think they're too far forward for him to track.

"Um…" Damn, what do I say? Lucas 6' of perfection is completely throwing me and I feel like the band geek that just got asked the time by the jock. I am _not _a band geek!

"Brooke," his voice is low and threatening, and he finally looks me in the eyes.

Oh God those baby blue's are distracting. Don't think about them! "Um… Look, Lucas, I know what you think about Nathan and… well, it's a load of bull."

"What?"

"That he drugged Haley? I know how Nathan acts, but I know him Lucas, and he would never…"

"Brooke, he's my brother, and I know him too. And I _know _that he's been using Haley to get to me. Now where did they go?"

Uh, what do I say? I can't stall him anymore, in a minute he's going to run off and, and I have a feeling he won't stop until he finds them.

Okay, time to think rationally. What would Brooke Davis the cheerleader, not the band geek, do in this situation?

Well, that's blindingly obvious. I reach up and kiss him square on the lips. Thankfully he doesn't pull away, but when I do he's looking at me with a really confused look on his face that makes my knee's go weird.

"What did you do that for?" he asks. I shrug and throw him my best smile.

"Come on Lucas, you're there and you're hot when you're angry. What kind of hot-blooded female would I be if I didn't take an opportunity of that?" I reply. He gives a small laugh.

"I just… I think I'm losing her Brooke," he says, and his eyes look so sad that I actually find myself mad at Haley for making him feel that way. I'm almost tempted to tell him where they've gone. Almost, but not quite. The best I can do here is be a friend, unfortunately.

"What's meant to be is meant to be, Lucas. I have a feeling that everything will turn out okay." And I don't mean between him and Haley. I'm about to walk off, satisfied that I've stopped his murderous rage but he grabs me gently by the arm.

"You've got a free period now, haven't you?" He asks. I nod at him, feeling a smile spread over my face before I can stop it.

"Do you want to go for a coffee, just to talk?" He asks.

"Sure."

I stop the pang of guilt in my stomach by telling myself that I'm doing this as a favout to Haley, and if her and Nathan do get it on, then I can console Lucas as another favour to her.

A coffee with Lucas? Probably the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off...

* * *


	16. Coming Together

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Coming Together**

**Nathan**

Just like Brooke promised, the 'empty' music room was a hotspot for horny teenagers. We open the door to find two freshman kids eating each other's faces. Haley starts blushing and I can't help but smirk.

"Hey," I say, loud enough for them to hear me over their groans. They jump apart, probably thinking I'm a teacher or something. "We need this room. Go."

The guy smirks, trying to be a hard ass in front of his girl. "Get your own room, we got ours."

In two steps I'm picking him up by his collar. "Maybe you didn't hear me. We need _this _room. Now _go_!"

The girl squeaks and as soon as I've dropped the boy down, they both run out. Haley steps aside to let them past and then walks in. I shut the door beside her and actually look at her. She has a bruise just above her temple, she must have got it in the pool.

"I…"

"I…"

We both stop and Haley lets out a nervous laugh. I don't. I can't even think about laughing, not when I know what some jerk has done to her.

"Are you feeling okay?" I ask. She walks over to a small table and pulls herself up on it, looking down at her hands.

"Yeah."

I lean against a set of drums and cross my arms. I don't know what to say. The fact that she's in the same room alone with me shows that she either doesn't know Lucas's little assumption, or that she does and she doesn't believe it.

I'm almost too scared tohope it's the second option.

Neither one of us speaks. Me, because I don't want to assume anything, don't want to open my mouth and swear to beat the crap out of whichever slimy jackass has done this to her like I want to, in case she turns around and says she thinks it was me.

Finally she speaks. "I don't think it was you," she says, like she's reading my mind. She still won't look at me though.

"I'm going to find out," I tell her. "I'm going to find out and I'm going to _kill _him."

"Why do you care?" she asks, her voice barely more than a whisper. I look down and realise that my hand has clenched into a fist. I don't think I've ever been this angry in my life and she's asking me why I care?

"Because it's wrong and…" it's you. The realisation that I'm getting so worked up about this because it's Haley is astounding. It hits me in the stomach and damn near winds me.

I haven't even thought about Peyton.

"Girl's get drugged all the time Nathan, why are you so bothered now?" Haley asks. She looks so small and vulnerable and I want to protect her from anything like this ever happening again. What's happening to me? I'm Nathan Scott for God's sake! I don't get worked up, I don't want to protect tutor geek's.

Except that I do. "You nearly died Hales, of course I'm bothered."

Haley finally looks up, and her eyes catch mine. Again the room is filled with a silence that nearly suffocates me. I pull my eyes away. It's unbearable.

"I'm Haley James," Haley whispers, more to herself than to me, but I get the feeling that I'm the person it's aimed at.

"What?"

"I'm your brother's girlfriend. I'm a tutor. I'm quiet and I dress casual as often as possible. I arrange my pencils in order of tallest. I pray every night before I go to bed and I love the rain. Why… why are you suddenly so bothered about my personal wellbeing?"

Now see, that's a good question. Why am I suddenly so bothered? I decide to answer as honestly as I can. "I don't know."

Haley gives a sharp intake of breath and then stands up off the table, heading for the door. I step forward. "Where are you going?"

Haley turns to face me, slowly, like it's a hard thing to do.

"I can't be here Nathan."

"Why?" I need to know what she's thinking. What she's thinking about me more than anything else. I don't know why that's so important but it just _is_.

"Why do you think?" she snaps, leaning up against the closed door and closing her eyes. A tear falls over her cheek. I step forward and wipe it away and her eyes open wide. "Don't…" she says softly.

"But I wanted to…"

She looks up at me, her eyes unreadable. "Yeah…" and then she does something really surprising.

She kisses me.

She reaches up and throws her arm over my shoulder, touching my lips with hers and leaning into me. Even more surprising than that, I kiss her back, circling my arms around her waist and pulling her closer. I want her closer.

She pulls away quickly, looking down at her hands. "I – I'm sorry, we shouldn't have done that."

I'm about to tell her that I wanted to, that I want to do it again, but the words won't come out.

"I've got to go," she says, and then she opens the door and runs off, leaving me alone and confused.

* * *

"Tim," I yell, slamming my locker as he comes into the locker room.

"What's up Nate?" He asks in his loud, slightly dozy voice.

I wait till he's right next to me and then I lower my voice. "I need to know if you know where I can get some Roofie's."

It's a long shot, but I need to take my mind off Haley and I need to track down whoever gave her that drug. If I just take my mind off the fact that I'm doing this _for _Haley then I'm practically killing two birds with one stone. I know it was a Roofie because Brooke told me that's what Peyton had in her drink.

Tim gives me a long look. "Nathan, I don't think that's a good idea," he says in the most serious voice I've ever heard from him. Tim may be a bit of a dick, but he's not a bad guy.

I consider telling Tim, but he's not really the guy to tell a secret to. In fact, he's worse than a girl for gossip. I shrug with a my best 'so what' expression. "Tim, come on…" The next words almost hurt to say, I have to choke them out. "It's just a bit of fun."

Tim still has that serious look on his face and his eyebrows are lowered. Finally he shrugs and says, "I hear Jesse Holloway has a bit of a collection. He's the man to go to. I still don't think this is a good idea Nate."

"Don't worry about it," I say. I look up and see Lucas enter the room. His eyes catch mine and he comes storming over. "Hey Tim, this is our little secret, okay?" I whisper to Tim. He looks unhappy but he nods. I know that the news will be around school by tomorrow, but I also know that Jesse Holloway will be beaten to a pulp and the school will know that too.

"What the hell did you do with Haley today?" Lucas asks. The image of us kissing comes unbidden into my head, only instead of feeling cocky and happy that I've got one up on my older brother, I feel kind of ashamed.

And then, I realise. I _need _Lucas to do this. Haley is his girlfriend and he deserves to know who drugged her. It's a hard fact to swallow, but it's a fact nonetheless.

I turn to him, ignoring the confused looks on everyone's faces. "Lucas, we need to talk."

* * *


	17. Play The Game

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Play The Game**

**Lucas**

"Lucas, we need to talk."

I think maybe I'm hearing wrong. My little brother is staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. My little brother, the one I hate. The one who hates me.

I think maybe _I've_ been drugged.

Tim steps forward and looks strangely at Nathan. "Whoa, are those Roofie's for you?" He asks. "What are you on?"

The noise of the locker room suddenly becomes a roar in my ears as Tim's word's seem to sing to me. _those Roofie's._

Nathan whacks Tim around the head and then he looks at me, his hands held up like he's surrendering to something. All I can hear is the word _Roofie's_ over and over again.

It _was _Nathan. It must have been. Why would he want Roofie's now if he hadn't used them before?

"You asshole!" I yell, my voice deciding to work. Nathan steps forward.

"Look, you've got it wrong, it's not like that, I was…"

He doesn't get a chance to finish as I swing my fist into my jaw. I knew he was a jerk, but I never honestly believed that he was so cold-hearted. How could I? He's my brother.

Nathan lands against the locker, a loud _clang_ as he hit's it and then falls onto the bench. "Will you stop hitting my jaw!" He yells. I don't listen as I go to swing for him again, but Nathan is faster than me. He reaches up and grabs my fist. I prepare myself for a blow to the face but it doesn't come.

"Look, will you just… calm down? We need to talk." He lets go of my fist, but I haven't really taken in a word he's said. As soon as my fist is free I swing it round and it connects with his chest. He looks at me for a second and then he seems to decide that he's had enough of holding back. He jumps on me and we both land to the floor, a struggle to be the one with the upper hand. All I can see is Nathan, and Haley's lifeless body. I feel a blow to my stomach and then I hear a whistle. The roaring around me stops and Nathan is lifted from on top of me.

My vision clears and I see an angry-looking Nathan with a cut lip and more bruises on his face. Whitey is holding him by his jersey and looking at us both with what can only be called disgust.

"You're like rabid dogs!" He yells. "Consider yourselves banned from practise, d'ya hear?"

Nathan doesn't say anything, he shrugs Whitey off him and walks over to his locker. I stay where I am on the floor. The way I'm feeling now, I don't think I'd be much good at practise anyway.

"Now the rest of ya, get out onto that gym and run until you puke. _Out!_"

The gym clears and there's only me, Nathan and Whitey left. Whitey looks at us both. "You two'd better sort out your family _issues_, 'cause the court ain't a place for them. Until you two can come in holding hands and makin' merry songs with each other, you ain't playing on my team."

Nathan stands up at that. "But coach, we got our first game tonight!"

"I don't want to hear it Scott. Maybe the both of ya should sit down and talk it over, hmm?" With that, Whitey stalks out of the locker room, leaving a disgruntled Nathan and me on our own. That wasn't smart.

I jump to my feet and stalk over to him. "Did you drug her?" I ask. Nathan grits his teeth and stares at me, right in the eye.

"No. I would never…" He lets out a long sigh. "Nice to see that my big brother has such a high opinion of me."

"Don't give me that crap Nathan. Like you've ever cared."

Nathan shrugs. "I guess I haven't, but still… It's not like I'm sad and desperate enough to use drugs. I would have thought that was more your area of expertise."

I shot Nathan a sharp look. I'm about to say that I have Haley, but I don't know if I have anymore. I'm losing her bit my bit, and the worst part of it is, I'm losing her to Nathan.

"I was asking Tim about Roofie's because I'm trying to track down the person who gave Hales them."

I look up and see Nathan looking down at his hands. For some reason that I can't quite describe, I believe him. Actually, maybe I can describe it – we're brothers. We may hate each other, but we have a bond whether we want it or not.

"And Peyton," I add, trying my hardest to ignore the fact that he's just called her Hales. It seems so intimate. When I called her it she corrected me straight away. I wonder if she does that to Nathan.

"Yeah." He looks up at me and I can read the sincerity in his eyes. "Look, I said I wanted to talk earlier because I think you should come with me, to see the supplier because… you're Haley's boyfriend. You deserve to know."

He kind of chokes the last bit out, and for probably the first time, it occurs to me that Nathan may actually _like_ Haley. Not just as in want to get her into bed, but actually like her. The thought hurts me way more than if he'd just wanted to screw her.

"Are you sure you don't just want to paint a picture of solidarity for Whitey so you can play tonight?" I ask somewhat bitterly. Nathan's eyebrows knit together and he looks confused.

"What's painting got to do with it?" he asks, and I can't help but laugh.

"So who's the supplier?"

"Jesse Holloway. I think he's in my Algebra class, if we sneak into the admin office we can find out where his locker is and find him before school ends. What do you say?"

I survey him. I think this is the closest to a conversation me and Nathan have come in our lives. "I say get dressed, let's go."

* * *

134, that's his locker, this Jesse Holloway's. It's last period and everyone is rushing around the halls. A tall lanky blonde guy heads straight for us. He looks about twelve

"Nathan and Lucas Scott," he bellows when he sees us, a broad smile across his face that makes him look even younger. Maybe ten. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Nathan, who has a seriously scary look on his face turns slightly to me. "Well, I guess you can see why he needs the Roofie's. I smile despite myself. I don't want to smile at Nathan's attempts at humour. The thing is though, I can tell how angry he is. It emanates off him like body heat. He's angrier than me, and it was _my _girlfriend who got drugged.

Jesse carries on towards us, and just over his shoulder I see a sway of glossy brown hair. Brooke. I pray that she doesn't come over, not when me and Nathan are trying to pummel this guy's head into his own locker.

Unfortunately, she sees us. I shake my head softly, hoping she'll take the hint but she doesn't, she starts towards us.

"Wow, my two favourite guys, together. Who would have thought it, huh?" she calls out. Nathan and Jesse both turn to her, and Jesse has a huge grin on his face. Something twists in my stomach at the thought of this guy drugging her, of turning Brooke – the bubbly drama queen – into an unresponsive person, just waiting to be… I can't think any further, Haley's lifeless body comes into my head and I imagine her in this guys bed. I grab Jesse by the shoulder and swing him into his locker. Nathan looks surprised and Brooke stops in her tracks, as does everyone else in the hall.

"Whoa, what's this about," Jesse asks, his head beginning to sweat and his eyes opened wide enough to see the whites.

"Lucas," Nathan says in a warning voice. I turn to see the principal walking down the hall. I drop Jesse quick.

"I'll tell him," Jesse yells out. "Who do you think you are, huh? Thinking you can manhandle people like me just because you're in the basketball team?"

The principal is gaining on us.

"Okay, go ahead," Nathan says. It flashes briefly in my mind that this whole thing could have been a set up, but then Nathan narrows his eyes and lowers his head to Jesse's. "And then we can tell him about the little drug's business you're running up here."

Jesse's eyes widen again and he whimpers. The principal walks over to us.

"Is everything okay here boys?" he asks, his bald head shining under the lights. Nathan shrugs and Jesse attempts a brave smile.

"Everything's fine sir," he says, looking like he's about to cry.

"I was just asking if he could help me with my algebra homework," Nathan says, putting his arm around Jesse who visibly flinches. The principle lowers his eyebrows, but seems to decide that it's not worth the bother to talk some more to us.

"Okay, okay, move along people, have none of you got homes to go to?" he yells.

The hallway disperses slowly. Brooke looks at me with confusion in her eyes, but I smile at her, trying to convey that she should get out of here.

We turn back to Jesse.

"Now, how about you tell us all about your little business empire?" I ask. Jesse swallows loudly and then opens his locker. He shifts aside a folder and behind that, are three bags of white pills and a brown pill bottle. He pulls out the bottle.

"My dad's a doctor, and he's refusing to help my Mom out with my college fees. This is my way of paying for college," he says.

Nathan nods at the bottle. "They Roofie's?" he asks. Jesse nods.

"See, my girlfriend and a friend of hers where drugged at a party last night, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" I ask. Jesse flinches.

"Who's bought these in the last week?" Nathan asks.

"Um… the party you had last night? Where there any geeks there?" he asks. Nathan and me look at each other. What?

"What kind of question is that?" I ask. "Are you messing about with us, because…"

"No! No, I'm not it's just that, I only really sell to the school geeks. They're the only one's who know about me."

The thought of Haley being groped by someone like Jesse revolts me. I have to look away.

"That Nose guy was there…" Nathan begins, but I silence him with a look.

"_Mouth_ would never do that. He's mine and Haley's friend. Their's got to be someone else."

"Umm… Their was an exception," Jesse says, looking almost scared that he'd even mentioned it. "He made me swear not to tell anyone, said he'd make my life hell if I did…"

"Who?" Nathan asks.

"If I tell you, it won't get back to him, right?" Jesse asks.

"Oh no, see this is all just for fun. I'm going to find out who spiked my girlfriend's drink and then we're going to ignore him… _Of course _it's going to get back to him! We're going to make him pay!" I say, my emotion getting the better of me.

Jesse gulps again. "It was someone on your team…"

Nathan's eyes open wide like he can't believe it. "Who?"

"Rob Klein."

I look up at Nathan. Rob Klein hangs around with him. My mind goes back to that That in Karen's Café, when Nathan came in. I overheard something, something that never bothered me then, but it's maiking my skin shiver now.

"_You know, She may be a dork, but have you ever seen Haley James in gym class?"_

"_I don't like her, just saying she has a great pair on her"_

* * *


	18. And It All Falls Down

**Chapter Eighteen**

**And It All Falls Down**

**Haley**

Wow, how is it possible for the human body to hold this many tears. I have been crying non-stop ever since what I can only call _the _kiss.

My head and my heart are in turmoil. I have all these conflicting emotions fighting for precedence, and all I want to do is relive that kiss. It's wrong, and it makes my feelings of guilt all the more painful to bare, but I can't help it.

It was perfect. It was the kind of kiss you read about but can never imagine happening to you. The kind of kiss where fireworks explode behind your eyes and your favourite song seems to play just for the two of you, your stomach does flips and you feel dizzy and light. The world is perfect, just for a moment, and then that moment is gone.

And all you're left with is wracking feelings of guilt and shame.

A picture of Lucas comes into my head, his pale blue eyes, long golden lashes and tall athletic body. I always thought he was perfection, but the strange thing is I never got all those cheesy thoughts – you know, I can't believe he's mine, what did I do to deserve him, etc. – I've completely taken him for granted. How can I not have realised that before?

The picture of Lucas in my head is replaced by that of Nathan, only instead of the cocky grin and raised eyebrows, I picture him as he looked when he wiped the tear from my cheek. His blue green eyes looking directly into mine, his face serious, contemplative. He had a bruise under his right eye and a cut along his jaw line, but it didn't matter. He was so handsome – _is _so handsome. He's way taller than me, and the only thing I wanted him to do was kiss me.

And he did. He gave me _the _kiss.

As you can probably tell, my head has been running around in circles all day.

I am a horrible person. How could I have done that to Lucas? How could I have _enjoyed _it when every fibre of my being should have been screaming betrayal?

I make a resolution, I have to be the best girlfriend I can be – _need_ to be the best girlfriend I can be. For me and for Lucas. He deserves it, after all the crap he's had to put up with.

Besides, it's not like I can break up with him for his _brother_! He hates Nathan, and to betray him like that, I could just never forgive myself. Never.

And if I think Nathan would want a relationship, well then I'm just fooling myself. This is Nathan Scott! He of the 'love-'em- and- leave- 'em' mentality. He who, when he does get a girlfriend, treats her like crap. I mean, has Peyton's experience taught me nothing?

And there is the other ultimate relationship taboo. Never date your best friend's ex. See? Everything is pointing away from Nathan. I _can't _date him, can't jeopardise my friendship with Peyton, and definitely can't betray Lucas like that.

No, I'll just have to stay away from him. He's no good.

And my heart is _not_ breaking.

* * *

"Haley James, I hope you're getting ready!" 

I groan at Peyton's voice. She came in looking like crap, with black bag's under her eyes and too-pale skin, but now – thanks to the wonder of make up – she's larger than life and making me suffer.

I changed when I came in, pulling off the pink top and denim skirt like they were dirty. I thought the only way to lessen the guilt and shame was to get rid of everything that reminded me of Nathan and the kiss, and those clothes did.

I looked in my closet for something new to wear. I could hear Peyton stomping up the stairs and her blonde head popped around the door. Her hair was tied back and she still looked a little the worse for wear, but at least she was ready, which was more than I could say for me.

"Haley!" she says in an exasperated voice, stepping around the door and eying the pile of discarded clothes on the bed. "We've got to be out in ten minutes. You haven't even done your hair."

Peyton's trying to drag me to the basketball game. She's using the fact that she had more to drink than me as ammunition that I must do what she says, because she's the one who feels like crap. She's completely ignored my argument that I almost drowned.

"I don't want to go," I say again. My head has been doing the same equations all day.

Basketball equals Nathan

Nathan + Basketball equals Trouble

Nathan + Lucas equals Turmoil

Oh yeah, I don't want to go. Peyton sighs loudly and picks up a white shirt from my discarded pile. "this is cute, wear this with your dark jeans."

She's not going to take no for an answer. I ignore her comment though and grab a red tee from my closet and a pair of beige pants. I take them both into my bathroom and get changed. Peyton grins like she's won.

Well, she _has _won.

When I've changed, Peyton isn't there anymore. I can hear her open the door downstairs, and after grabbing my bag and a pair of red Mary-Jane shoes, I run down after her.

The sun outside is way too bright. Peyton laughs at my squinting expression. She doesn't know that I've already been out in it. She hasn't spoken to Brooke yet and I'm not about to enlighten her. I'm worried that she'll see past the lie I'd make up and just know telepathically that I kissed her ex-boyfriend.

By the time we get to the gym, and grab our seats in the rafters, my head is banging and my heart is hopping about in my chest. In a couple of seconds, I'm going to see Nathan.

And Lucas of course. My boyfriend. Who I love.

Right.

A flurry of blue and white occurs in the corner of my eye and the rafters explode with cheering as the team comes out of their locker room. I try not to focus on anyone, Lucas is before Nathan but I can't really see him either. I'll feel too guilty. I really didn't want to come out tonight, I wanted to get my feelings in check, decide whether to tell Lucas about the kiss or not, decide how I really feel about Nathan, get my guilt under…

"Lucas isn't there."

Lucas isn't there. "What?" I turn to Peyton and then look down on the court. The players are milling around, walking into a circle around Whitey. I take them all in… "Neither is Nathan."

Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Panic overtakes my body, my head spins even more and I feel like a fist has just drove into my chest and squeezed just about whatever it can find in there. Why aren't they here? Did Nathan tell Lucas about the kiss? Did they get into a huge fight? Did something happen to them?

"They're not on the bench either… Hey Haley, are you okay?" Peyton asks. I've stood up and am heading for the nearest exit. I can't be here.

"I've got to go…"

"Haley, relax. They've probably been suspended for fighting or something, you know what them two are like…"

Huh, that doesn't comfort me at all. I push past my row, to the angry jostles of many.

"Where's Rob?" I can hear someone say,

_Where's Nathan and Lucas_? Is just about all I can think of.

I feel someone grab my arm and turn to see Peyton. I shrug her off and carry on.

The sound of Mouth in the commentator's box rarely registers as he says, "And three of the players are missing today, Captain Nathan Scott, number 23, Lucas Scott, number 3 and Rob Klein, number 10. Coach Durham tells us that Nathan and Lucas have been suspended indefinitely, but he has no comment on the whereabouts of Rob Klein."

I hear Peyton gasp as she continues to follow me out. I feel like I'm trying to claw through thick treacle, I'm stuck and I'm suffocating. Finally I reach the door and throw it open, almost running out and crying with relief.

I hear the sound of Peyton's Chuck Taylor's pounding on the cement behind me.

"Haley!" She yells.

I barely hear her, but I stop anyway, furiously wiping my eyes. She stops and puts her hands on my shoulders. "What's wrong?"

I start crying again. The memory of kissing Nathan swims in my head and I can't believe how pathetic I look. I _never _cry! Not if I can help it. I'm supposed to be feisty and… and strong. I can take jibes from people like Tim Smith and Nathan Scott, I can defend my boyfriend whenever someone badmouths him, so why… _why _can't I take this guilt?

"I've done something horrible," I tell Peyton. She looks confused but she doesn't say anything. "You're going to think I'm a terrible person."

Peyton shakes her head. "Haley James, you are my _best _friend. I know you're not a horrible person, now what's wrong?"

I look at the floor. I can't believe I'm going to do this, but I feel like I have to. I have to tell her because if I don't then this guilt is going to tear me apart.

"I kissed Nathan."

Silence.

I chance a look at peyton and her eyebrows are knitted together. "What?"

"I… I kissed him, and now… Now all I can feel is this unbearable guilt and shame. I never meant to I just…" I take a deep breath. Peyton's silence is worrying me. "And now they're both suspended and I'm worried that Lucas knows, that… that Nathan has told him."

Peyton continues to look at me with that confused expression. "But… why? Why would you do that? You know what and arrogant ass Nathan is? Why would you hurt Lucas like that?"

I feel like I've been slapped, in fact, I'd rather I _had _been slapped. At least then I could have a sense of indignation. But no, she's just spewing out everything I've worried about this whole day, right out in the open.

"I… I couldn't help it. I never wanted to hurt Lucas but…" But what? Why did I kiss him?

"What, are you trying to say that you're," she starts laughing then, a slightly hysterical laugh that makes me wince. "That you're in love with Nathan Scott?"

I'm about to say no, I really am, only… only then I start to think about it. Everytime I see him I get butterflies, when I'm not with him I'm constantly thinking about him, his kiss made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world…

Oh God, I'm in Love with Nathan Scott.

* * *


	19. Dawn Of A New Day

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Dawn Of A New Day**

**Haley**

Peyton's still staring at me, expecting an answer, an answer that I don't think I can give.

I mean, it can't be true. I _can't _be in love with Nathan. For God's sake, he's _Nathan_.

But it is. I know it is. I've never been very good at lying to myself.

And now, I'm stuck for what to do. I had it all planned out, the kiss with Nathan was a mistake, I was going to go back to Lucas and be the best damn girlfriend I could be. That was the plan.

Now what?

"Haley, you're… you're not in love with him, are you?" Peyton goes on. I can't look at her.

"I'll make my own way home," I tell her. I turn on my heel and walk off. Peyton doesn't follow me.

* * *

The walk home is a long one, and in my current state the last thing I need is time to myself. All I can think about is where Lucas and Nathan are, whether they're all right, and whether Nathan loves me back. 

No scrap the last one. That's _not _important right now. I'm still with Lucas, and I won't let myself even _think _about Nathan until I've broken up with him.

Because I've got to, really. I can't stay with Lucas when I have these feelings for Nathan.

"Haley."

_Gah!_

I look up to see Lucas looking down at me. I barely even realised that I was in front of my house. I've been on autopilot the whole way here, and now, the guy I've been thinking about most (well, second to Nathan, anyway) is right here, looking down at me with this really tender look on his face.

"L-Lucas," I greet, fumbling in my bag for my keys which I promptly drop as soon as I get them out. Lucas reaches down and picks them up for me. _Oh please don't be a gentleman Lucas. I can't say what I've got to say if you're a gentleman_.

"I've uh… I've got some news for you," Lucas says. I search his face for something, anything, that might suggest what he knows, but he doesn't look angry. Actually, he looks almost… triumphant.

I struggle to put my key in the door. I know my parents are out. They went almost straight from work, giving me a kiss before they went. I really wish they were home now.

"Haley, are you okay?" Lucas asks, looking down at my trembling hand.

"Hmm hmm. Stupid lock," I say, trying to sound light-hearted. Lucas puts his hand out for the key. I consider not giving it to him just out of spite, but he's done nothing wrong. It's all me. All me and my stupid heart. I give him the key and he opens the door in two seconds. I walk in first and Lucas shuts the door behind me. The dark is unsettling me so I turn on all the lights before I go into the living room.

"We found out who drugged you," is the first thing Lucas says. I drop down onto the couch. Whatever I was expecting it wasn't that.

"Oh… We?"

To be honest, with all this inner turmoil I'd almost completely forgotten about being drugged. Oh yeah, I've got all _my _priorities in order.

"Yeah. You won't believe it but, er… me and Nathan."

My eyes snap up. Him and Nathan working together? Potentially telling each other secrets? Telling each other who they might have _kissed_?

"Yeah, we got suspended from the basketball game because we had a fight – Nathan was asking for Roofie's – and then he told me about this kid who was selling them, Jesse Holloway…"

"Jesse Holloway?" I ask incredulous. He's one of my tutor pupils. He's always seemed like a nice enough guy.

"Yeah, anyway, long story short – We found out Rob Klein had bought the drugs, Nathan wanted to go and pound him into the basketball court and I told him that was a stupid idea because he was letting his emotions rule his head…" he trails off as he says that, looking at me, probably to see how I respond to Nathan's 'emotions'. I don't move.

"And anyway, we can't find him. He must have realised what we were planning when we were in the locker room, because we couldn't find him anywhere. Whitey said he hadn't shown up."

"So he's got awaywith it?" I ask. The guy was a complete asshole, and this new completely unfamiliar part of me wants to see him get what he deserves, but the other part of me is kind of glad that Nathan and Lucas weren't brought down to his level.

Why, _why_, WHY am I such a goodie, goodie?

"For now. Nathan is completely pissed, I don't know whether it's because Rob was his friend, or because it was you."

I don't say anything or move again. How can I? What do you _say _to something like that?

"So uh," I lick my lips, grasping on the first thing that comes into my head, "You have no idea where Rob is?"

"No. But don't worry, we'll find him."

We both look down at our hands. I can't gather up the strength to tell Lucas what I need to, but I can't _not _tell him.

"You know, Nathan kind of amazed me today," Lucas says, still looking down at his hands.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I always thought the guy didn't have a heart. Turns out he does."

My own heart is pounding. It's so loud I'm sure that Lucas can hear it.

"And you know, he never even mentioned Peyton?"

"What?"

"The fact that Peyton got drugged too. He just mentioned you. He was so driven and determined and it was because of you."

I swallow. Despite the current situation, a part of me is just singing with happiness. I feel almost _giddy_. Me, giddy.

"And now, I'm not so sure you don't feel the same way," Lucas goes on. I can't look at him. "I thought he was using you. Trying to get to me or something, but I've never seen him act that way about anyone, and you…" he breaks off.

"Lucas…"

"No, let me say this because… I need to say it Haley. The way you let him call you Hales, the way you laugh at his stupid jokes, the way you can actually _stand _him all of a sudden. You like him."

I take a deep breath. Lucas stands up. "Wh-where are you going?" I ask.

"You're silence tells me everything Haley, I'm going."

"Lucas, please don't leave like this…" I try. He turns around and looks me square in the eyes.

"Why? Do you actually want me here?"

"I care about you Lucas, I just…"

"Don't love me. See, there's the rub."

He stops, reaching out and holding my cheek. I breathe in. As he leans forward and whispers in my ear. "I still love you."

* * *


	20. Been And Gone

**Chapter Twenty**

**Been and Gone**

**Nathan**

_Two trains 150 miles apart are travelling toward each other along the same track. The first train goes 60 miles per hour; the second train rushes along at 90 miles per hour. A fly is hovering just above the nose of the first train. It buzzes from the first train to the second train, turns around immediately, flies back to the first train, and turns around again. It goes on flying back and forth between the two trains until they collide. **If the fly's speed is 120 miles per hour, how far will it travel?**_

Uh, excuse me, what?

I reads the problem back again, reading it slower, but that doesn't help at all.

Here's a question? Why do we need to know about the stupid fly and how far it's travelled? Why is that important in the grand scheme of things? Why can't we focus on problems that actually _occur_ like when you start seeing someone differently? Or like someone's been drugged and you've got to solve who did it? Where the hell do you find the guy that did it?

Those kinds of problems just _may _come in useful!

I hear the door downstairs slam and roll my eyes. Dad must be in. Mom said he'd went out to drink because he was so angry at me and Lucas for being kicked out of the game tonight, and I was kind of hoping she meant all night. Guess not.

I turn back to my homework, chewing the end of my pen. Of course, I can't even picture the dumb fly because the only picture in my head is that of Haley, and my need to pound Rob's head into the ground

_What do you do when you realise you like a girl that you initially just wanted to screw, and that someone you considered a friend tried to date rape that girl?_

Yeah, something like that would be useful.

I can't really think about it much more because the door to my bedroom slams open and Lucas is stood there, face like thunder.

"Hey, you can't just barge into my bedroom!" I yell. "We may have been all Mulder and Scully today but that does _not _mean we're like brothers all of a sudden."

"No Nate, shall I tell you what you can't just do? You can't just steal my girlfriend!" Lucas yells back at me. I drop my pen. "And Mulder and Scully? Couldn't you have came up with a better teaming than that?"

"What are you _talking _about?" I ask. Not about the Mulder and Scully comment – that _was_ kind of lame – but about the 'steal my girlfriend' part. I mean, I haven't' stole his girlfriend. Not _yet _anyway.

"I'm not stupid Nathan. I saw how determined you were today. You got so worked up about everything because you like her, admit it!"

"Okay!" I yell. I don't know what made me do it, but it's like the filter that stops me from saying what I mean has just fell out and deserted me. The tension after that is unbearable. "Okay," I say again, quieter this time.

Lucas gives a sardonic little laugh. "You're never satisfied Nate, ever since I came here as a kid you've just took whatever you want from me. Toys that you don't even play with, books that you don't even read, movies that you don't even watch."

"It's not like that," I say, because it's not. I have to defend myself. I went after Haley because she's Lucas's girlfriend, but I didn't fall for her because she was. I fell for her because she's Haley! She's sweet and funny and feisty and just… Haley.

"Why isn't it? Are you telling me you didn't go after her because she was _my _girlfriend?"

"That's how it started," I admit, because I _need _him to believe that I care about her, and the only way to do that is to be honest. It's kind of a new concept for me. "I wanted to sleep with her and leave her to show you that I can have anything you have, and that I could do it better… but it's not like that now."

Lucas smiles at me, a smile that has my back up. What is he up to. He throws his mobile at me. "Try telling Haley that."

I look down at the phone and see that it's switched on, and in the middle of a call. The words 'HALEY' seem to glare out at me in big black letters.

Oh God no. What have I done?

I raise the phone up to my ear. "Haley?" I say, softly, praying to God that she disconnected before my rant.

"I don't want you to ever speak to me again," she says, her voice muffled and far away.

"Haley, you've got to understand…"

"Don't…"

_Don't_. My mind is taken back to our kiss. I wiped a tear from her face, and she said 'don't.' The phone goes dead.

I look up at Lucas, who's still stood there, grinning his sardonic grin. "She deserves better than you Nathan, she just needed to know it." He walks over and grabs the phone out of my hand. I can't say anything.

* * *

"Get up."

I open my eyes slowly. It's still kind of dark, and I can hear rain hitting my window.

"Up, now!"

I turn around and see my Dad stood in the door, dressed completely in running gear. I groan and throw the covers over my head. "Go away."

The next thing, the covers are being thrown off me and the cold hits me like a thousand knives. I don't care, I think I'm in self-pity mode.

Of course, I'd be a lot more sure of that if I knew what self-pity mode was. I've never been in it before.

"Get up Nathan. No son of mine is getting sloppy because of a missed match, the _first in the season_ might I add."

I sit up and rub my eyes. "Well why don't you go and wake your other son up?" I ask. Dad glares at me.

"Don't talk smart to me Nathan. I know that you're brawn is ruling your head right now, but don't forget that you're living under _my_ roof. Now get up!"

I feel like shit and I am _not_ going for a run, especially not with _him_. I jump up and pull on a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans.

"You can't run in jeans Nathan," Dad says, looking at me suspiciously. I ignore him and barge past him, down the stairs and through the front door, ignoring my Dad's yelling.

I know exactly where I'm going. If I don't talk to Haley, then I'm going to be stuck in this stupid self-pity for the whole day.

The street she lives in is modest, and some of the houses look plain dilapidated. When I reach her house I walk up the drive and raise my fist to the door.

And then I see that it's five in the morning.

Ugh, I hate my dad.

Ah screw it. I need to talk to her. I pick up a stone and take a guess at which window is hers.

After three shots, I've lucked out as Haley's head appears out of the window. She takes one look at me and goes back in, slamming the window shut.

I pick up another stone and threw it. She opens the window again.

"What are you doing?" she whisper-yells.

"I need to talk to you," I whisper-yell back.

"Well, I need you to get as far away as possible."

She goes to shut the window again but I yell her name. really loud.

"Jeez, Nathan, what is your problem?"

"If you don't come down, I'll yell a lot and cause a scene," I shout back. She surveys me for a second. "Fine, I'll be down in a couple of minutes. Just…be quiet, okay?" She closes the window again.

I sit down on the wet grass, closing my eyes and wondering how the hell I've screwed this up so much with probably the only girl I'll ever like.

After what seems like forever, I can feel someone else's presence. I open my eyes and see Haley looking down at me. Her eyes are unreadable and her mouth set in a straight line. I want her to sit down, she's making me feel uncomfortable.

"Okay Nathan, you've got exactly two minutes. Go."

* * *


	21. Crashing Down On Top Of You

_You guys rock! Thanks for all of the fab reviews._

****

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Crashing Down On Yop Of You**

**Haley**

"Okay Nathan, you've got exactly two minutes. Go."

Uh, what _was _that? I sound like some sort of game show hostess with a big cheesy grin and a grey centre-parting. I silently cringe but keep the same look on my face. The 'I'm-pissed-at-you-and-never-ever-want-you-to-speak-to-me-after-these-two-minutes-are-up' look.

Nathan pulls himself up until he towers over me. I liked it so much better when he was sitting down and I had the upper hand, now I feel like _I'll _be the one to grovel if he asks me too. His hair is wet from the rain that I'm guessing has just stopped, and drops of water are hanging from his black lashes.

But I don't care. I don't. He's a jerk and I have spent _way_ too much time crying over him. In fact, I'd only just stopped when he started throwing his stupid stones on my window.

No, I don't care a _bit_!

God I'm a lousy liar.

"Okay," Nathan says, seeming to have arranged some kind of speech in his head. I wish I had a watch, I really would time him then. "Okay." He stops again.

"Is that all you have to say?" I ask, trying to keep any sort of emotion out of my voice, even anger. The result is a kind of wispy croak. _Ugh!_

"I'm sorry Hales."

I wait for more. It doesn't come. He's staring down at me with those puppy dog eyes and a forlorn expression.

Is that it? Where's the speech? Where's the crying, the hysterics, the _pleading_ for me to forgive him? Jeez, this guy can't even _apologise _properly. Oh wait, no there's more:

"I know that I was a jerk, and… and I can't change what seventeen years of Dan Scott's upbringing has done to me," he breaks off and gives a little smile. I don't smile back. "Right," he continues, looking adorably unsure of himself.

No. Not adorable. Just unsure of himself. Like a jerk.

"Um… I _did _go after you because you were Lucas's girlfriend, I can't change that."

The mention of his betrayal straight from his mouth while he is in front of me brings more tears to my eyes. I blink furiously, praying that he hasn't noticed. I won't show him how weak I am.

"But, I fell for you Hales, I really did. You're the most amazing girl I've ever met in my life. I mean, it may have started wrong, but I really did want it to end right. I want you."

_I want you_. That would be even better than 'I love you' if it was from anyone else, but this is Nathan Scott. How could I have been so foolish to think that he was anything other that what he had been for years – _is _anything other that what he has been for years?

I can't trust him.

And with that thought, I feel like bursting into tears and hugging him, just because he's there and I _do _have feelings for him, but I repeat the words over and over like a mantra – _I can't trust him, I can't trust him, I can't trust him_ – and that gives me the strength I need.

"Hales?" he asks. I look up at him, meeting him square in the eyes because I don't think he'll take it any other way. _I can't trust him, I can't trust him_. I lean in close.

"I think your two minutes are up" – _I can't trust him_ – "I think you should go."

_I can't trust him_.

* * *

I reach for what has to be the millionth Kleenex in an hour, Brooke strokes my hair and keeps saying something in a soothing whisper, but I don't catch a word of it because I am literally bawling. 

"Even if you're the one who's done the break-up, it's still hard to cope with. You just cry all you want Tutor Girl," she says, loud enough for me to hear because all of a sudden I'm whimpering.

Oh yeah, a break-up. _That's _why I'm crying.

As soon as Nathan left, after throwing yet more stones at my window, I burst out crying again, and have been ever since. At nine O'clock I got up the courage to ring Peyton, figuring I really needed a friend. She didn't answer.

Luckily, Brooke did, and she called over almost straight away with what she called 'the-break-up-kit', filled with three boxes of industrial strength Kleenex, a small fluffy teddy-bear, a small copper pot and a box of matches to 'burn everything ex-related' as Brooke put it, and a little sign to put up by the phone saying: _DO NOT RING THE EX!_

It cheered me up for about two seconds, until I remembered it's not the ex I need to be restrained from calling, it's the ex's brother.

"Haley, I know this is a bad moment to ask, but I feel morally obligated to do so," Brooke says, putting a hand on my cheek. I sniff long and loud and try to control the volume of my whimpering.

"Wh-wh-what?" I ask.

"I am fully prepared to be the rebound girl for Lucas if I have your permission."

I burst out laughing through my tears. It may not be appropriate, but it's totally Brooke.

"Entirely as a favour to you, you see. So you don't have to put up with drunken phone calls begging you back and irritating bimbo's who you don't even know being paraded around on his arm."

I laugh again.

"And of course, may I suggest, as a rebound for you, one Nathan Scott?"

I burst out crying. Again.

Of course Brooke doesn't know the full story. All she knows is that me and Lucas broke up because we don't love each other anymore (not that I'm sure we ever did), and I kind of left out the whole Nathan part of the story. Brooke looks worried.

"It was a joke, I'm not _really _going to go after Lucas, not until the mourning period is sufficiently over anyway."

"I-I-I love…" I break up and blow my nose.

"What? You love me? Well that's sweet Haley… Oh! Is that why you broke up? Do you have _lesbian _urges?"

"Nathan. I love Nathan." I manage. For about a second all that can be heard are my pathetic sniffs.

And then, like a shot has been fired, Brooke explodes. "Oh my God! That's why you broke up isn't it? Because of Nathan! Wow, I did _not _see that one coming. I mean, I know Nathan has feelings for you but I thought you were too into Lucas – always kind of bummed me out but – Oh my God! I just, I can't believe it. So are you going to tell him, now that you're officially single?"

"Brooke, just… just don't, okay?"

Brooke looks hurt. "Why? Oh, I get it. You want to wait a sufficient amount of time because of Lucas."

"No, I want to wait until the twelfth of never because Nathan is an asshole!"

Brooke sits on my bed, looking confused. "Well, yeah," she says simply, like it's the most obvious thing in the world, "but you can't help who you love Hales."

I grab the tiny teddy out of the break-up-kit and hold it to me. "I found out that the only reason he went after me is because he wanted to sleep with me, just to get at Lucas."

Brooke looks suitably disgusted.

"I mean, this person who I've fell in love with over the past couple of days, it's not even the real Nathan. He was playing a game Brooke and I was the prize. How can I trust him after that?"

"Oh Haley," Brooke soothes, rubbing my back. "I never knew. If I'd known I would never have told you to go into that music room with him.

Oh, not the memories. I close my eyes tight shut and think of anything that doesn't involve Nathan. Cars – Nathan has a car. The rain – Nathan got caught in the rain. Teddy bears – Brooke bought me this teddy bear to comfort me over Nathan.

_God!_ I just cannot escape him.

"But, the way he was after you'd drowned. That can't have been an act. Lucas froze and Nathan went into complete control mode. He gave you CPR and…"

"Brooke, I really can't hear this, okay?" I say in the strongest voice I can manage between the tears. Brooke nods.

"Okay tutor girl, just get it all out, okay?"

I'll certainly try.

* * *


	22. I Hate Mondays

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**I Hate Mondays**

**Haley**

I hate Mondays.

Seriously, why are they even there? Why don't we just have a six day week and banish Mondays altogether?

"Hey tutor girl," Brooke greets me at the school entrance. I had to walk this morning – the first time in ages – and I am not in the best mood. Seeing Brooke being all cheery and bright is really not doing me any good.

"Hi cheerleader," I mutter darkly. I can't help it. I honestly tried to fake a smile or something but I look pure evil. Honestly, I'm nervous. After a weekend locked away in my bedroom, I now have to face Peyton, Lucas and of course, Nathan.

It's almost enough to make a girl skip school.

Wait a second, why _am _I at school?

"Oh, are we still depressed?" Brooke asks, putting her arm around my shoulder. I keep my head down, hoping not to see anyone who I _really _don't want to see.

"No, _we_ are not depressed, but _I _am."

Brooke doesn't say anything. She's probably just trying to handle me right or something.

We reach my locker, Brooke still with her arm around my shoulder. I wonder briefly why she's so friendly all of a sudden, but I have to admit I'm glad for it. She's a nice girl and if I was on my own right now, I'd probably be slitting my wrists in the girls restroom.

I open my locker.

"Haley."

I turn to see Lucas looking down at me, wringing his hands together and wearing a nervous look on his face. Brooke steps back and smiles at Lucas, that really obvious flirty smile.

Why am I not even bothered.

"Hey Lucas," I greet. My voice is tired and I can't even be bothered to act like I'm hurt over our break up. How the hell did I go out with him for so long? There's no chemistry there, none at all.

"I wanted to apologise," he says softly.

"Oh, well I've been getting plenty of those, I'm not sure I really want anymore."

I know it's wrong to take this out on Lucas. I mean, of course I'm pissed at him for ringing me and making me hear what Nathan had to say, but I guess it's good that I found out.

"Right," he says, starting to walk away. He stops mid-step and turns to face me. "You know, I was kind of hoping we could still be friends. I know it could be hard, but you've been a part of my life for so long that the change would be even harder if you left it completely."

I slam my locker shut and swing my bag over my shoulder. "Yeah, well sometimes change is a good thing," I mutter, walking away.

* * *

I'm not stupid, I know I can't avoid Nathan the way I really want to, but that doesn't mean I can't ignore his pathetic lying ass.

He's already in homeroom when I walk in, and he's moved to the desk next to mine. I roll my eyes and sit down.

"Hales…" he starts.

"It's Haley," I correct him. There, just like it was at the start of the year. Everything is back to normal.

Except that it isn't. Everything has changed.

"Can we talk?" he asks. Why won't he leave me alone?

"We are talking," I hiss.

"I mean…" He cuts off and sits back in his seat. I look up and see that Tim has walked through the door. Ah, so he's trying to be Mr Cool Guy huh? Trying to pretend that he's _not _into the dorky tutor girl?

"Nate, why are you sat there?" Tim shouts.

Nathan frowns to himself and I raise an eyebrow at him, daring him to come up with an excuse. If he does, then we're over for good.

Not that we're already not of course. _Not_ that there was anything to be over.

Nathan stands up, obviously ready to move back to his desk.

"I like Haley James," he say loudly, causing everyone to gasp and me to cough rather inelegantly. "I'm sat here because I've been a complete dick and I'm trying to get her to forgive me." He sits back down again.

All around me is a mad buzz of chatter. I stare furiously at my hands, my cheeks going bright red. Nathan leans over onto my desk.

"Did it work?" He asks, his voice hopeful. I stare up into his eyes and immediately wish I hadn't. A girl could get lost in those eyes. Tears spring up in mine again.

Just when I thought I was all cried out.

"You just don't get it Nathan. You can't correct a whole lifetime of being you with a few seconds of being this… this perfect person," my voice catches on the last word and I rush out of the room.

Bang into Peyton.

How is it possible to meet the three people you've been dreading in the space of ten minutes? How? Some people would be able to spend the whole day without seeing one, I have to go and see all of them.

Tears are streaming down my face and Peyton is looking at me with a dumbfounded look.

"Excuse me," I cry, as if I'm talking to a stranger. I can deal with falling out with Lucas and even Nathan, but not Peyton. She's my best friend.

I rush past her and into the girls restroom.


	23. Being the GoBetween

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**Being the Go-Between**

**Peyton**

I stare after Haley as she rushes around the corner. She had tears in her eyes, and even though I'm slightly pissed at her for the whole Nathan thing, she's still my best friend.

I know what you're thinking. Why should I be bothered about the whole Nathan thing? I mean, Me and Nathan have been over for so long, it's practically prehistoric. But see, the thing is, Nathan was my first love. I know it sounds all weird, especially when our relationship was mostly about drama, but in a weird way, I did love him.

I'm just not sure he ever really loved me.

And then of course, there's Lucas. I know a lot of girls would kill to be Haley James and have Lucas Scott as a boyfriend, and you know, I used to be one of them. I remember when they first started dating, back when they were Freshmen, and I was so jealous I couldn't talk to her for like a week. Then I realised that Lucas was a friend. You know the type, the kind who's always there for you but you can't ever imagine them in any kind of romantic context? Well that was Lucas. _Is _Lucas. He's my friend, and to see Haley playing him like this when he's been the perfect boyfriend, it just bugs me. I don't know how she can kiss someone like Nathan when she has someone like Lucas.

But then, maybe _she_ sees him more as a friend too.

I swallow my frustration and follow Haley anyway. Just as I suspected, she's ran into the girls room. I can hear her sobbing through a locked cubicle.

"Haley?" I ask, even though I know it's her. It always annoyed me when people did that, but I guess it's just a way to break the ice. Better than launching straight into a conversation.

The sobbing stops, and then it becomes more muffled. I knock on the door. "Open up," I whisper. Obediently, she opens the cubicle and I see her sitting on the toilet with a red blotchy nose. It kind of hurts to see her like this, and I start to regret ignoring all her calls over the weekend. I offer her my hand and thankfully she takes it, I pull her out of the cubicle.

Although I'm sure the graffiti was really humouring her.

"What's up?" I ask, pulling a wad of hand towels out of the dispenser and handing them to her. She takes them and wipes her eyes.

"I'm a mess," she says simply. I can't help but agree.

What? If you saw her you'd think so too!

"Did Lucas find out about Nathan?" I ask. I know, I have absolutely zero tact. I think that when they were handing out tact, I was asking for extra curls.

Thankfully, Haley doesn't start bawling on me. Instead she takes three deep sniffs and then breathes steadily. She's calmed down.

"Are you talking to me?" she asks.

"What do you call this?" I reply. She sniffs again but offers me a smile.

"I broke up with Lucas."

Whoa! What was that? I need to sit down. Haley and Lucas are the most stable couple I know. If they've broke up, then the rest of us may as well give up on true love altogether. "Is that why you're crying?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"No, I was crying because I thought that me and _you _had broke up too."

Her saying that, in that really sad voice makes me feel even more like a jerk for ignoring her calls. "Haley James, I don't know what kind of impressions I've been giving you, but we were never dating."

She laughs. "So we're friends?"

"Always."

"Good, then…" she starts, but then seems to change her mind and clamp her mouth shut again.

"What is it?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"Nothing, not important. Um… Shouldn't you be in homeroom?"

"Whoa, nice subject change! Shouldn't you?"

Her face falls and she sniffs again. "I've got my mark, have you got yours?"

She has a point. "Are you okay if I go?" I ask. She nods and offers me another smile. I can't help but think that there's something brave about it.

So I leave her alone in that room. And I feel like a terrible friend while I'm doing it, but I can read the hints. She wanted me gone.

She wanted to be alone.

* * *

Lucas is waiting in line with Jake at the cafeteria. I ignore the groans of the people behind as I sneak in with them.

"Hey," Jake greets. I give him my nicest smile because, lets face it, Jake Jagielski is a hottie.

"Hey back at ya'," I say in my best impression of Brooke. He raises an eyebrow and I laugh. "I was trying something new," I tell him. He grins at me.

"Don't need to change anything at all," he says. _Zing!_

As much as I would love to flirt with Jake – and trust me, I would _love _it – I really need to talk to Lucas. He's my friend after all, and while Haley is my best friend and I should be showing some kind of sisterly solidarity, she's nowhere to be seen.

"I heard about the break-up," I tell him. Again with the no tact. He flinches a little and I feel terrible. "Sorry."

"Why? It's not like you broke us up," he answers, and as he says it he's staring over my shoulder. I turn around and see Nathan sat at a table with some of his jock friends. They're all throwing food at each other and he looks completely out of it. I notice that Rob still isn't there, which is weird because he _lives_ for being the High School Jock. Or at least he did in the days when I was a cheerleader.

"Nathan?" I ask, realising that I never asked Haley why she and Lucas actually broke up. She said that he didn't find out about the kiss though, so it must be something else.

Lucas shakes his head. "Everything. I guess we just weren't really meant to be."

Me and Jake stay silent. I think we're kind of absorbing this monumental occasion. The day that we found out true love doesn't exist.

But then, a part of me can't help thinking that yes, Lucas and Haley were the perfect couple, but since when has love ever been perfect? It's full of ups and downs and passion.

Maybe we just got it wrong all this time. Maybe the only thing perfect about Lucas and Haley was their friendship.

"Um… have you spoke to Haley?" Lucas asks. I look up at him.

"Yeah, this morning. Why? Are you trying to dig for some gossip or something?" I half-joke. I know it's a serious situation but I've never been good at cheering people up or saying the right things.

"Uh, no. Did she tell you about Rob?"

I narrow my eyes. What the hell is this about? "Should she?"

"We found out that he was the one who drugged you," Lucas continues. My jaw actually drops open. I always thought Rob was one of the good guys. Guess not.

"Is that why he's not here?" I ask. "Because you taught him a lesson?"

"No. He's done a runner. He's not at home and he hasn't shown up at school. I think Nathan went to the admin desk this morning to find out if he'd given an excuse."

"Nathan?" I ask. Why do conversations always seem to come back to him?

"Yeah, it was me and him who found out."

"You and Nathan?" I ask, incredulous because, come on – it's Nathan and Lucas. The least brotherly of brothers known to man. Lucas gives a smile and nods.

"Who would'a thunk it," Jake offers, making me turn to face him and giving him another one of my flirty smiles.

Well, what passes for a flirty smile in the world of Peyton Sawyer anyway.

So Rob Klein huh? I've got to admit, I thought no one was even making a big deal out of the fact that me and Haley got drugged, turns out Lucas and Nathan actually joined up on some kind of crusade for it.

I feel so special!

Or, I would if I thought any of it had anything to do with me. I'm not stupid, Lucas was dating Haley, Nathan had just kissed her. It's enough to make a girl hate her best friend. Two dishy Scott brothers for the price of one!

Why does Haley have to have all the luck?

* * *


	24. Take It As It Comes

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**Take It As It Comes**

**Nathan**

Haley wasn't in American Lit today, and I haven't seen her at all since the incident in Homeroom.

I'll admit, the whole 'proclaim-my-love-for-the-school-geek' thing wasn't the most original thing I've ever done, but I wasn't doing it to earn brownie points, or even to come across as some kind of cheesy hero, I was doing it because I meant every word. I _do _like Haley James. I like her a lot.

I feel like I've only known her for a short while (which I guess I have, as I was too closed and arrogant to get to know her before that), but it's enough. She's let me see the real her and she's the most special person I've ever met.

Rob still hasn't shown. Whitey almost had a hernia in practise. Apparently he got a note this morning saying how he was going to be missing practise and school for a while because he'd sprained his ankle.

Sprained his ankle my ass. Or maybe he did, in his hurry to do a runner like the wimp he so clearly is. I can't believe I ever called him my friend.

Of course, Dad played hell about the whole defiance thing. Seeing it from the 'good' Scott son is clearly a new and unfamiliar experience with the old man, and he sure as hell made me pay for it. I need to get up early tomorrow, he's dragging me around town for a 'power run' which basically means I'll run until I puke.

And then, the jury is out on whether I'll see Haley or not. Here's hoping I don't push her away even more than I already have.

LINE

"Haley James?"

"Present."

I can't stop looking at her. No one on the team has been giving me any stick about me liking Haley – they wouldn't, I'm Nathan Scott, I can like who the hell I want – but even Tim is raising his eyes at me every time I turn to look at her. Her eyes, however, are fixed firmly on the desk in front of her. I can't say anything to her, can't risk her running away again.

LINE

She's already sat down when I walk into our American Lit. class. Brooke is talking to her, and says something when I enter.

Well, at least they're kind of talking about me.

"Hey Nate," Brooke greets as I sit down. I watch as Haley throws an annoyed glance at her, but what does she expect? Brooke was my friend first.

And that Ladies and Gentleman, was the incredibly mature thought of Nathan Scott.

I'm about to say hi back to both of them, when Cody Brice, one of the 'smokers' who hangs around at the front of school smoking cigarettes and dope makes his way over to us.

"Haley, I heard you're doing tutoring again," he says. My mind briefly switches back to last year when Brooke made up Haley's nickname of Tutor Girl, and Me and the team teased Lucas about his dorky tutor girlfriend.

"Um, yeah," she answers softly, so quiet I have to strain to hear without looking like I'm bothered. "I have a lot of time on my hands."

"Cool," Cody says, making me kind of lean away because the smell of smoke is so strong. "You helped me get an A last year. I'll be seeing you."

Haley nods politely as Cody walks away. When she sees me watching her she throws me a look of pure venom.

The teacher starts handing a test paper back, and the bright red scrawling letter on the front makes me smile.

"Why are you smiling Mr Scott? You got an F," he tells me like I'm stupid. And I am.

And it's _perfect_.

Looks like Haley's got a new tutor student.

LINE

The Tutor Centre is an unfamiliar place to me. It's way smarter than I thought it was. I thought it was going to be a dank dark and depressing place with peeling walls and brown carpet. Oh, okay so that was a slight exaggeration on my part because I never wanted to go when my English teacher tried to force me, but still…

It's nothing like that anyway. White walls, blue carpet, tables and chairs. Simple, no fuss.

Now if only my relationship with Haley was like that.

She's sat there now, clearing the table she's sat at, a look of determination in her eyes. I decided to wait until the end of dinner when I knew she'd be in there on her own. Come on, she's Haley James.

I knock softly on the open door, and her head shoots up. As soon as she sees that it's me she narrows her eyes in a pretty scowl.

Yeah, she's even pretty when she _scowls_.

"What are _you _doing here," she asks in a voice that, I've got to admit, is kind of low on charm.

"Nice to see you too," I say. Damn, I meant to be charming myself and I came out like… well, like Nathan Scott. Great way to make an impression, huh?

"Ugh, don't mess about with me Nathan, I am not in the mood. If you want to walk out of this room unharmed, I suggest you go right _now_."

Wow, she's threatening me. I'd laugh if I didn't like her so much. "Look, Hales…"

"Haley," she corrects me promptly.

I can't help but smirk. "That's what I said, Hales."

She groans in frustration but doesn't say anything else. I think I've annoyed her.

"Look," I say, trying to make my voice sound as serious as I feel. "I'm not here to apologise or to annoy you, I swear."

She narrows her eyes again, but not in a scowl this time. She just looks confused. "You're not?"

"No, actually. I'm here on strictly business."

Now she looks suspicious. She looks around the tutor room as if reminding herself she's actually here, and then something seems to dawn in her eyes. "No," she says firmly.

"You don't even know what I'm going to ask!" I say, even though she obviously does.

"Oh, I do Nathan. You're… God! You're just so…"

"Handsome," I cut in. I mean, I could spend all of my time grovelling and begging here, but that's just not me, and the problem I have with Haley is that she doesn't think I'm being me. So here I am, and I am going to _make _her like me if it is the last thing I do. I mean, it's not like I put on a complete act for her. I _was _me when we were together, she just doesn't realise that.

Oh God, I don't even know what I'm talking about.

"Uh, no. Infuriating, predictable, annoying, cocky, arrogant – I don't know! Take your pick Nathan!" Haley yells. She actually yells it too, not just a whisper-yell but a real yell. A really loud one.

God, she looks so cute.

"Look, whether you like it or not, I _need _a tutor. And you… you're the best."

"Yeah, your attempt at flattery is _not _working, get someone else."

"I'm not trying to flatter you. I went to Mr Smith, you know, the teacher who supervises the Tutor Centre…"

"I _know _who Mr Smith is Nathan," Haley cuts in.

"Oh, well I told him that I really needed help an he recommended you. He said you're the best."

Haley continues to look grouchy. "I can refuse to tutor you."

I shrug. Damn, I was expecting her to grab onto a new student like… actually that's as far as I can get. I've never been very good at metaphors, or similes or whatever they are. See, that's why I need a tutor! "Yeah, you could. But do you really want to live with the guilt of me failing and getting kicked off the basketball team, the one thing I'm good at?"

Haley's eyes soften a little. "If you got kicked off the team you wouldn't be giving Lucas such a hard time."

Ouch.

"Uh, I guess but…"

"I'll make you a deal," Haley cuts in again. She does that a lot. It would really annoy me if it wasn't for the fact that… well, that I like her. I guess. "If you stop being such a jerk to Lucas, I'll tutor you."

Uh, what now? "I…"

"Because I may not be dating him anymore, but Lucas is still someone I care about, and you and your asshole of a father make life hell for him."

"I think my 'asshole of a father' kind of makes life harder for me than for Lucas…" I don't know why I just said that. I fully did not intend to say anything like that. Not to Haley. I want her to see me as a strong guy, not a whiny little freak who gets picked on by his dad.

Not that I'm whiny. Or little. Or a freak, for that matter, but you get the picture.

I look up and Haley's staring at me with this unfathomable expression in her eyes. Oh great. I may as well give up now.

"I'll see you tomorrow at 7 here in the tutor centre," she says after a pause.

Whoa, she's giving me a chance?

Whoa, at 7? "Seven, is the school even open that early?" I ask.

"Yeah, and you better not be late."

Oh, I won't be.

LINE


	25. What's A Girl Gotta Do?

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

**What's A Girl Gotta Do?**

**Brooke**

You know, I'm kind of nervous. Yes, me, Brooke Davis. Can you even believe that?

I'm stood at the Scott residence – not exactly a new occurrence, only I'm normally calling around for Nathan. This time though, I'm knocking for the newly single oldest Scott brother. Mr Lucas Scott.

Oh, and please don't think I'm some kind of slut, not that I'm not, but you know. It's just that, Lucas has been looking so miserable all day and I didn't want to go and see him because I was with Haley, but… but sometimes, a girls got to put her wants first. And this girl wants Lucas Scott.

I am fully ready to offer myself up as a rebound girl.

I know, _so_ generous.

I knock again, praying that Dan Scott doesn't come to the door. If he does then I am going to run away. The man scares me, and I can normally wrap any dad around my little finger. Just show them some of the Brooke Davis charm and they love me for life. Not this one though. This one is completely unwrappable.

The door opens, and a sweaty looking Nathan answers it.

"Brooke," he greets, with a confused look on his face. "What are you doing here?"

I briefly allow myself a look at the grey shirt clung tight to Nate's admittedly toned abs, before reminding myself of the purpose of my visit.

"Uh, actually I'm here for Lucas," I say. Nathan raises one eyebrow, only now his confused look has been replaced by his trademark smirk.

"Wow, you don't waste any time do you?" He asks.

I smile up at him. "I'm doing you a favour, if Lucas is occupied then Haley won't feel so guilty about moving on… Not that I condone your actions in any way, you understand?"

Nathan laughs. "I don't know Brooke. I think I might have screwed up big time."

"Nonsense. You're Nathan Scott! I thought you got whatever you wanted. Besides me, of course."

You know, I think this may be why I get called a slut. It's just flirting though. A harmless bit of fun. Why should that hurt anyone?

Nathan smirks again. "Lucas is in his room, I'd call him down but I don't think he'll answer me. Believe it or not, we don't get on."

"I never would have guessed," I reply, laughing a little.

"Just go on up, his bedroom is the third on the left," Nathan says, walking back towards what I guess is the gym and leaving me on my own in the huge Scott residence Hall.

I've never been nervous about boys before, but this one does something weird to me. I walk up the stairs kind of slow, trying to remember whether Nathan said third on the right or second on the right. It was second, right?

No! It was second on the _left_.

Or third.

Crap. I walk up the stairs anyway and hope that by some miracle, Lucas's bedroom door will be open. It's not.

"Lucas," I say in my quietest voice. "Lucas," I repeat, this time louder.

No response.

Ugh! I _hate _this. I've never been unsure about anything and I _never _get lost. Take a chance. Third on the left sounds good. Go for it.

I open the door and am greeted by pale blue walls and a dark blue bed cover. Definitely Lucas. And speak of the Devil…

He's sat at a computer with headphones in, and he hasn't seen me yet. I crane my neck trying to see what he's looking at…

And feel my hands slip off the door frame as I fall sideways into the bed.

"Ow," I yell, as my head whacks the metal corner of the bed. I reach up and feel something wet in my hairline. I lower my finger and see it covered with blood.

Lucas has finally noticed I'm there (hard not to really) and jumps up, rushing towards me.

"Are you okay?" he asks, kneeling down in front of me.

"My head hurts," I whine, realising that I don't look too attractive.

"Don't move okay, you might have a concussion," Lucas goes on. I smirk.

"Are we playing doctors and nurses?" I ask, trying to throw a flirt in even though blood is starting to go in my left eye. Oh God, I must look a complete state.

Lucas doesn't answer me though, he's holding my chin and moving my head from left to right. Mm, I could get used to this.

"Well, you haven't got a concussion, and the cut's not too deep. Wait here while I go get a band-aid," he says, standing up and leaving me alone.

Alone in Lucas Scott's bedroom. My, what fun a girl could have here.

I stand up and absent-mindedly wipe the blood from my eyes with my sleeve as I make my way over to a book shelf.

Wow, is this guy a geek! A cute geek though. Book after book of author's I can't even pronounce. I pick one up. _Iliad _by this Homer guy. Like out of the Simpson's. Interesting. I wonder if he'd notice if I took it? I mean, I could read this book and act all intelligent around him. I know tutor girl's smart. Maybe that's the kind of girl he goes for.

Smart girls.

Ugh, what am I even doing here? Lucas has just broke up with his girlfriend for God's sake, and here I am, moving in on him like he's some kind of prey.

"You're pathetic Brooke," I scold myself.

"Now that's a little harsh, isn't it?"

I turn around and see Lucas leaning on the door frame. Damn. I _so _didn't want him to hear that.

"Uh… hey?" I say, for once in my life at a loss for words. "You got that band aid Dr. Scott?"

"Yeah," he walks over to me, throwing a pack of band-aids and some TCP onto the bed. "What are you looking at?"

I look down at the book in my hand and feel a little guilt wash over me. Well, trickle really. "Uh…"

"You like Homer?" Lucas asks, and he sounds so impressed that I go and do something stupid. I nod.

"Love him."

"Cool."

"Uh, actually. I was wondering if I could borrow this? See, my copy is kind of… worn out, because I've read it so much."

Lucas raises his eyebrow and looks even more impressed. "Go ahead. Now, how about we sort that war wound out?"

I look up at him and smile my best _sweet _smile. I don't want to change who I am, but what's the harm in modifying it a little? "Let's do it."

* * *


	26. All You Want

**Chapter Twenty Six**

**All You Want**

**Haley**

Nathan is already here. Seriously, it's 6:45 in the morning and Nathan is already here. I really needed those forty-five minutes to get my head together, to convince myself that I don't care about Nathan. As it is, I feel like I'm walking into an exam unprepared. _Not _a good feeling.

He's just _sat_ there, like he's not a complete… Ugh, just calm down Haley. If I go in there worked up, then he's going to fluster me easier and then we're all in trouble.

Oh, but does he have to look _so_ hot? I mean, it's 6:45 in the morning for Gods sake! He's looking all clean and freshly shaved, with his hair in perfect place. He's wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans and a pale blue shirt that looks great with his eyes.

Me, on the other hand? I do not look hot. Or even cute. Or even moderately attractive. I will admit that I tried to make a tiny effort this morning because I knew I was going to see Nathan, but I refused to straighten my hair or wear any eye make-up other than the basic mascara. The result, a messily clipped up pile of hair, a slick of barely-there lip gloss and a pair of tatty jeans with a nice green sweater. Yeah, we'd make such a cute couple. Not.

Okay, so I need to do this. I _could _run away somewhere and come back in fifteen minutes, but that's just silly. And also, not the actions of a girl who is clearly over Nathan Scott.

I take a deep breath and walk into the tutor centre. I wonder how Nathan even got in here. I have an agreement with the janitor that he lets me in early in case I've got a student, but Nathan… actually, he's Nathan Scott. He'll always find a way.

"I was wondering when you would come in."

I look up and see that Nathan is smirking at me. I narrow my eyes. What is he talking about?

"What?"

"Well, you've been stood out there for like, ten minutes," he says, his eyes reading total innocence. Damn. I've been caught out.

"Um…" I can't think of anything to say. "It's a good job you're early, actually…"

"It is?" Nathan asks, and I can't help a victorious smirk at the look of excitement on his face.

"Yeah, I've looked at some of your old test papers and Jeez, do you need work!"

Ha! Cruel, me?

Nathan looks down at his hands and sighed. "I guess I'm not the smartest person in the world, huh?"

He looks so forlorn that my face softens as I sit down opposite him. "Look, it's not a total write off. I mean, sure, you could do better, but I think most of this is a lack of understanding, not being 'dumb' or whatever."

Nathan looks up at me and for a second, our eyes meet. A pure _zing _of electricity passes between us, and surprisingly, it's Nathan that looks away.

"Uh… so, tell me tutor girl, whats on the programme?" Nathan asks.

"What?" I say, sounding a little like an idiot. "Um…" I try and sort myself out. "Well, we'll try and tackle math first."

"Ah, my worst subject."

"Well, not all lessons can be Gym," I say, a little bitchily. "Sorry."

Nathan shrugs. "No, you're right. I suck, pure and simple."

"Nathan, are you being self-deprecating?"

"Um… no?"

I laugh. "I guess our next port of call will have to be English. But for now, Math."

LINE

It's amazing. We just got through an hour and ten minutes without mentioning anything but Math. Well, actually, there was a little period in between where we walked to the snack machine and talked about next Friday's game, but apart from that, nothing.

I'm starting to think that maybe this wasn't some rouse to win me back. A part of me feels a little disappointed, I must admit. And not a thing was mentioned about our deal about him making up with Lucas. Well, to be fair, I didn't hold him to it. He said that thing about his dad an I just melted. I always knew how much of a jerk Dan Scott was to his oldest son, but I never really realised how he affected his youngest too.

"Thanks Hales," Nathan is saying now, packing up his things (pencil, notepad, eraser). I look up at him and shrug. It's on the tip of my tongue to say 'It's Haley', but I just can't say it. It's like, now that he's been a semi-normal person, the part of me that loves to be nasty to Nathan and to hurt him like he's hurt me is fading away a little.

"It's nothing. After all, it's my job."

"No but, you actually made me understand some of that stuff. Like integers and crap like that."

I laugh and stand up at the same time he does. "Well, as long as you're understanding 'integers and crap like that' I'm sure we're going in the right direction."

"So, tomorrow? Same time?"

I nod. "See you then."

We reach the door at the same time, and reach for the handle. Our hands touch and that little _zing _appears again. This time, Nathan doesn't pull away. Our hands stay where they are, his on top of mine. I lick my lips and look up at him, he's staring down at me, his blue eyes soft and sparkling. He lowers his head…

"No," I say softly, and it kills me to do it. I pull my hand away and shove it in my pocket. Sure, I could kiss Nathan now, but then what?

"I'm sorry," Nathan says.

"What is this Nathan?" I ask, and am horrified to note that my voice is rising. "One of your silly little games? Let's get Haley alone in the tutor room and I'll try and mess with her again?"

"What? No!" Nathan shouts, sounding indignant. "You said yourself I needed help! Why do you always think the worst of me? You're just like Da…" he stops and seems to check himself.

I bite my lip and take a step away, just in case. "Just like who?" I ask, because I'm honestly curious, and also because I know he was going to say 'Dad'. That makes no sense, I know, but part of me really believes that the only reason he is the way he is, is because his dad is Dan Scott. How could you let anyone in when you're the apple of that mans eye?

Nathan stares at the space between us that I've just created by stepping away. He gives a small smile that doesn't have any life to it and shrugs. "Everyone, Hales. Absolutely everyone."

He opens the door and walks away.

LINE

"Saturday night, be there or be square."

I look up and see Brooke smiling down at me. I hate being this short.

"Uh, where? And square? Who _says_ that?"

"Me, Brooke Davis," Brooke goes on. She leans on my locker, which I was just trying to open and hands me a flyer.

"What's this?" I ask, looking down at the glossy piece of paper. The words, TREE HILL TRI-CENTENNIAL CHARITY BALL scream out at me.

"The Tri-Centennial charity ball that my dad's hosting on behalf of his company," Brooke explains.

I raise an eyebrow. "Gee, I'd love to, but I've got plans."

"Yeah right!" Brooke laughs. I throw her an indignant look and she straightens her face. "Uh, I mean, _this _is the place to be, how could you _possibly _have any other plans?"

I _do _have other plans. My older brothers and sisters are coming over and during the day we're going to the Tri-Centennial Fair, and on the night we're having a family dinner. A 'getting to know you' if you will, because my family is so big and so far flung that it gets hard to remember who's who.

I'm only _slightly _joking.

"Family thing," I say, in the way of an explanation.

"Haley!" Brooke says in a whiney voice. "Do both! You can do your 'family thing' during the day, and then come to this ball on the night! Perfect!"

I about to protest, and then I see Lucas come out of the library. "Um, I'll think about it," I say absent-mindedly.

Brooke looks to where I'm staring and looks uncomfortable. "Uh, Haley, I need to talk to you…"

"Yeah, tell me later," I say, already running towards Lucas.

He's walking over to his locker around the corner and I grab his arm. "Hey," I greet.

Lucas turns to me but doesn't say anything. Okay.

"Um… I wanted to apologise. For being so mad at you, I mean. I was the worst girlfriend ever and then I go and be mad at _you _like you were the problem, and you really weren't. So… I'm sorry."

Lucas nods. "It's okay Haley. I was a jerk, what I did with the phone… that was low."

I shrug. Yeah, it was, and I'm not completely ready to forgive him for letting me find out that way, but whatever way you look at it, it's better that I knew.

Only, well, now Nathan's not looking as bad as he first did.

"Are you going to this ball thing?" Lucas asks when I don't respond.

"What?"

"Brooke asked me if I was going. I'll go if you do."

"Uh…"

"As friends," Lucas adds in quickly.

I stare down at my hands. To be honest, I haven't really been looking forward to this family dinner, and my parents wouldn't be too mad if I didn't go. They have enough kids there anyway.

"Sure. I'll go," I say.

LINE


	27. Hard To Beat

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Hard To Beat**

**Peyton**

Why am I here? Seriously, this is _not _my type of place. A record store? Sure, I'm there. An arts supply store? Yes please. A formal dress store? Hmm… not so much.

"Oh, this is amazing!" Brooke coos, holding out a pale gold gown. I cross my arms and nod.

"Yeah, sure."

Haley looks about as comfortable here as I do. She keeps fingering the odd gown and then snapping her hand away like the fabric has burned her. I guess a store like this isn't so great when you can't afford even the cheapest thing.

It's Friday afternoon, Game Night, only instead of going over cheers like she should be, Brooke is here choosing a dress for tomorrow nights ball which me and Haley have somehow been dragged to.

Actually, I know _exactly _how I ended up here. Jake invited me. And I even have a dress, a simple black strapless thing that I bought from a discount store. Money's been pretty tight lately. Dad couldn't get the jobs and we were stuck with my wages and his savings. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how you see it) Dad just got a job where he goes away for six months and brings back tons of money. Woo hoo.

"P. Sawyer!" Brooke gasps. She pulls out a gorgeous dark blue chiffony silk dress with delicate spaghetti straps and loads of layers. It falls down to the floor in a straight drop. "Wow, this is so perfect for you," Brooke goes on.

I walk over to it. The dress is so beautiful that I actually look at the price tag.

_Whoa!_ It's not _that _beautiful!

"That is so pretty," Haley offers, stepping forward and keeping her hands stubbornly by her side.

"Yeah, and so expensive," I add. "I've got a dress book."

"But it's not _this _dress," Brooke says. "You've got to have it. You'll blow Jake Jagielski away!"

"Brooke, I can't afford it," I say. It's kind of embarrassing to admit that. I think Brooke suspects about my financial situation, but we've never discussed it outright.

Brooke looks shamefaced, but then a bright smile appears on her face. "Peyton, your birthday is next month, right?" she says.

"No," I tell her. It is, but I know that she's thinking about buying me that dress, and there is no way.

"Yes, it is. Let me buy you this as an early birthday present! It's more of a present to me anyway, seeing you all hot and fine with Jake!"

I look at the dress. It _is _beautiful. "I'll pay you back," I tell her firmly.

Brooke gives a triumphant smile. "Sure," she says. She knows not to push the 'free-gift' thing. "Now we need to find a dress for Haley."

"Um… I've got one, and it's new. I bought it a week ago for Prom, but I can always buy a new one."

Prom? "Haley, prom isn't in like, forever."

Haley gives a small smile. "Always be prepared," she says. Me and Brooke laugh.

Brooke pulls a red silk strapless dress off the rack and walks over to the counter.

Bring on tomorrow.

* * *

The stands are packed full, even more so than last week. Me and Haley are sat near the front. I've just waved to Brooke, who as usual looks stunning in her cheerleaders uniform.

"So," Haley asks with a teasing tone to her voice. "Cheering for any particular player?"

I cant help but smile at that. Jake and I have kind of been hanging around a lot this week.

"Are you?" I ask.

"That's bitchy," Haley says with a smirk. It kind of was. I still don't really understand the situation with Nathan, but Haley has just broke up with Lucas.

"Sorry," I whisper. Haley shrugs.

"Nathan didn't show up this morning either?" I ask. I found out that Haley was tutoring Nathan for some reason that I can't quite fathom, and then he goes and doesn't show up for the tutor sessions.

Haley shrugs "He has a lot on his mind, I guess?"

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"This game?"

I roll my eyes. "Stop making excuses for him."

"I'm not! I just… look, I think that something's going on with him and his dad, and I don't want to push anything."

"Push what? You don't still like him do you?"

"No!" Haley answers, only she answers a little too quickly. "No, I just… feel sorry for him."

I'm about to question this senseless statement when the players run out, with Nathan Scott at the front.

The game is kind of uneventful, with the Ravens running rings around the opposition. It was the kind of match I used to love as a cheerleader, but as a spectator, the lack of competition is a little boring.

The game ends with the score 48-16. A pretty cool result that will have us all in high spirits for the fair tomorrow.

"Cool game," Haley says, looking like she's just woken up.

"Hmm, I wonder if you're saying that because we won, or because Nathan scored 27 points…"

Haley looks fed up, and I realise that I've pushed her too far. "Peyton, will you please stop? There is nothing going on with me and Nathan and I really don't appreciate your not-so-subtle jibes."

"I'm sorry," I say, because I am. I never honestly thought there was anything going on with Nathan and Haley, but it was fun to tease her about it because I thought she could take it – because there was nothing going on. Now though… Now she's got me thinking.

Why would she care so much if it was as she claimed? If there wasn't anything going on?

The crowds are starting to disperse around us, and me and Haley make our way outside. A load of people have walked onto the pitch to congratulate the boys, and I want to go and see Jake but Haley walks straight outside.

"I want to see Jake," I tell her.

"Go ahead," she shouts, waving at me as she walks off. I roll my eyes. I don't know what has gotten into her lately, apart from the fact that she might fancy Nathan, the brother of her ex-boyfriend.

I head onto the pitch and see that Jake is smiling politely at Lorna, one of the cheerleaders as she fawns on him. When he sees me, I don't think I imagine that smile getting brighter as he steps towards me.

"Hey Peyton," he greets. "I'd give you a hug but I'm afraid I might be a bit sweaty."

Mmm, images of Jake sweaty. Yes please. "Don't worry about it," I say and hug him anyway. "Great game."

Jake shrugs. "I was kinda crap though."

I punch him softly in the arm, "Is that you fishing for compliments? 'Cause you ain't going to get them from me."

Jake nods, "You saw through my plan."

I laugh and step away. "So, I'll see you tomorrow night?" I ask. Jake nods.

"Yeah, and I bought a tux, so it better be worth it."

I smile in a completely Brooke way. "Oh, I'm always worth it."

* * *


	28. Burnin' Up

**Chaper Twenty-Eight**

**Burnin' Up**

**Haley**

"Haley!"

I turn to see my sister Taylor running towards me and almost fall over as she wraps her arms around me.

"Hey," I say in my best 'adorable baby sister' voice. Taylor is the last to arrive. My older brothers Benjamin, Christopher, Steven and Michael are here, and so are my sisters Lucy and Christina. Yeah, we have a _big _family.

"Mom told me you weren't staying for dinner tonight," Taylor says, looking at me with a small smirk playing on her lips. "Is there someone you'd rather be with?"

"Not at all, but I promised Lucas I'd go…"

"Lucas, that's your boyfriend, right?"

"No, he's my ex-boyfriend…"

"And you're going out with him tonight?"

"I'm not _going out _with him. We're friends and there's a big charity ball that I've been invited to and he's going too."

Taylor looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "So who's the boy involved then."

"What?" I don't know how she does it, but Taylor can always see right through me.

"There's a boy Haley, it's so obvious. You're acting all nervous and shifty, you only do that when you're hiding something from me, and I just _know _that something is a boy. So spill."

I take a deep breath and tell her everything, about Nathan and the whole sorry story. When I'm finished, Taylor looks like she's just gorged out on her favourite soap opera.

"Oh my god Haley! Drama!"

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"What do you mean, unfortunately? This is so cool! Tree Hill was never this fun when I lived here."

Wow, my sister is clueless.

We head into the house and Taylor follows me up to my room, where she'll be staying. I have a double bed and she'll sleep in that with Christina, while Lucy, my oldest sister, will sleep on the camp bed. I'm staying over at Peyton's.

"Whoa! What's with all the greenness?" Taylor says as soon as she comes in the room.

"It's my favourite colour," I say. I must admit, it's kind of defensive. I just don't think I'm used to Taylor being all Taylor after she's been gone so long.

"Oooh! Is this Nathan?"

I turn around and see her pointing at the pictures on the wall. I lean over. "Nope, that's Lucas."

Taylor turns to me open-mouthed. "You dropped _that_? Haley, he is hot!"

I sigh and shrug. "I know, but I think we work better as 'just friends'."

"So, you got a picture of Nathan?"

"No, he was – and kind of still is – a jerk. I never used to hang out with him."

"But he's Lucas's brother, right?"

"Yeah, but they don't look anything like each other. Nathan's dark haired."

"Oh, I _like _dark haired."

I glare at Taylor. "Don't even think about it."

"I thought you didn't want him any more"

"I don't!" I take a deep breath. Taylor is okay in small doses, but I mean like, really small doses. "But… he's still out of bounds."

"Ok, can I have Lucas?" Taylor asks.

This girl is unbelievable. The surprising thing is though, that I don't really care. Wow, I am _so _over Lucas. But surely I like him too much to let my sister loose on him…

I don't answer.

* * *

Wow, the Mayor has gone all out to make this a pretty cool occasion. There's loads of fairground rides, like a completely unsafe looking rollercoaster and a ferris wheel. There's loads of stands, like the coconut shy and the hoopla thing, and then there's stalls selling foods and candy. I tell you, I don't think Tree Hill as ever seen anything so… well, so absolutely corny actually.

"Tutor girl!

I turn to see Brooke standing on her tip-toes and waving me over. She's wearing a tiny halter top and some tight jeans. Huh, typical Brooke. She looks perfect.

"Tutor girl?" Taylor asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Long story," I shrug. "I'm just going to go and see my friend, okay?"

Taylor shrugs and walks over to Christina and Lucy, who are cooing over baby photographs. Lucy has a three-year-old son who's staying with his dad for the weekend.

"What's up," I say, when I reach Brooke. She has a huge smile pasted on her face but there's something extra behind it. I can't put my finger on it.

"Nothing, I can only stay here a while, I promised Patchouli that I'd help set up for the ball."

"Patchouli?" I ask. Seriously.

"Yeah, the events organiser. I think her real name is Rita or something. Anyway, uh… we need to talk."

"About what?"

Brooke opens her mouth and then closes it. "Um…" she says, grabbing my arm and pulling me over to a yellow tent with picnic tables in it. She pulls me down. "In here, actually."

I narrow my eyes. There's something weird going on here. "Brooke…" I say in a low voice.

"Okay, but… look. You have to promise that you won't yell at me," Brooke says. She actually looks really scared. Does she think I'm some kind of a monster? Like I'm going to attack her or something?

"Um… I promise?" I offer, because I'm genuinely curious now. And besides, it's not like a legal contract. If Brooke pisses me off I can yell.

"Okay, so… Oh God, you're going to be mad."

"Brooke, would you jet get on with it!"

"You yelled! You promised you wouldn't!"

My mouth drops open. I close it and take a deep breath. "There, all calm now, happy?"

"No."

"What are you going to say Brooke?"

"Okay, look… you know I think Lucas is hot, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well… I think I like him. Like, really really like him. And I know what a friendship commandment no-no it is, like 'One shall not covet they friends ex,' or whatever, but…"

"Brooke, is that it?" I ask.

"Um… you're not mad?" Brooke asks, sounding so vulnerable that I pull her into a hug.

"I think that commandment only works when you still have romantic feelings towards your ex, and with me and Lucas, it's kind of platonic. Besides, I'd be a hypocrite if I got mad. I like Nathan and he used to date Peyton." Suddenly I realise my deadly faux pas. "Liked!" I correct myself quickly. "I meant that I _liked_ Nathan. Not anymore."

"Uh huh," Brooke says. She drops it straight away, and that makes me a little suspicious.

"Are you up to something?" I ask, reading the mischief in her eyes.

"No. I've got to go though, _so_ happy we had that chat. Now I can make a move on Lucas!"

"Brooke!" I shout after her, but she ignores me and runs on. Oh God, what have I got myself into?

* * *


	29. Better do Better

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

**Better do Better**

**Nathan**

God, I hate these type of things.

My dad is walking around like he owns the damn place, and my mom is hanging onto my arm with a vice grip. I don't know why, it's not like she hasn't got any friends. She's just… I don't know actually. I don't get what's been up with her lately. And I haven't exactly been a great son.

"Are you okay?" I ask, lowering my voice so no-one hears me sounding kind of mushy.

Mom's eyes widen in surprise at my question, and I feel about twenty times worse. "Um… yes, why do you ask?"

I shrug. "I don't know, you just don't really seem like yourself."

Mom smiles and puts her free hand on my other arm. "Look, Nathan… things have been a little… frantic lately. With your father. I don't want you to worry about it though, okay?"

"Are you getting divorced?" I ask. I don't feel angry, or disappointed. Not even relieved. I just feel… detached.

Mom looks down at her hands and doesn't say anything. "Don't worry about it," I say, throwing in a smile. I look up and see Haley sat in a yellow tent by herself.

"Uh, Mom, do you mind if I go… for a walk?"

Mom gives a weak smile and shrugs. "Go ahead. I can't imagine it's much fun being stuck with your mother…"

Oh great, a guilt trip. I look up at Haley again and sigh. Out of my grasp, yet again. "It's okay. I'll stay here if you want."

As soon as the words come out of my mouth I feel weird. Like my insides are twisting. My God, I think I might be changing.

"No," Mom says with firmness. She lets go of my arms and gives me a little shove towards the tent. She looks over at Haley and gives me a knowing smile. "You have somewhere you'd rather be, and I'm not holding you back." She paused and looked thoughtful. "After all, I'm not Dan Scott, am I?"

I smile and give her a hug.

"What was that for?" she asks when I pull away.

I shrug and give her a smile. I'm not going to turn into a complete Mommy's boy, but she's feeling down and it's not really going to hurt me to be a little nicer to her. Besides, she's my _mom_ for God's sake. "Just because," I say, before heading towards Haley.

She's got her brows furrowed and she's staring off into the distance.

"You shouldn't do that, you'll get wrinkles," I say. Haley curses when she sees me, which isn't exactly encouraging, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

"What are you doing here?" she asks. I raise my eyebrows. It's the Tree Hill Tri-centennial, everybody's here. She seems to realise this and shrugs. "I see you're actually talking to me?" she says.

I sit down next to her and sing a silent _hallelujah _when she doesn't move away in disgust. "I had a touch of the dramatic, I guess," I say, referring to my outcry in the Tutor Centre. I haven't been since that morning. I wasn't really mad, just pissed off that I was having to work so hard.

Actually, to be honest, I'd completely forgotten about it when I sat down. Guess I can't have been that upset.

"Oh, just a touch," Haley smiles. She nudges me and I almost faint in shock. She's acting like nothing has ever happened between us. "Are you going to that charity ball tonight?"

"Of course. Do you think Brooke would ever forgive me if I didn't?" I ask.

"Seaking of Brooke, she has a thing for Lucas!"

"I know," I say. I immediately realise what a faux pas I've made. "Um… I mean, I thought so… Not that I would keep that from you or anything…"

Haley laughs. "Leave it Nathan. I'm not bothered, really. It's not like I have any romantic feelings for Lucas anymore."

Oh? Well this is a development. I lick my lips, but my mouth is suddenly very dry. "Oh? And… and is there anyone you do have romantic feelings for?"

I know its stupid, but I feel like I have to ask. Haley bites her lip and looks at the floor. She opens her mouth to speak when we're cut off by a loud shriek.

"Haley!"

We both look up and see a blonde girl approaching us. "Haley James, I thought you'd only be a minute, do you have any idea how boring it is with Christina and Lucy cooing over little Charlie? Jeez, they've turned into right… oh, hello."

She directs the last part at me, giving me a definite flirty smile. "I'm Taylor, Haley's older sister."

I didn't even know Haley had any siblings, but I'm not about to tell her that. She'll just throw in my face that we don't know each other. I hid my annoyance at her cutting into a potentially important conversation and give her a friendly smile.

"I'm Nathan," I greet.

"Nathan! Oh!" Taylor says, turning to Haley with raised eyebrows. Oh, so she's been talking about me? I feel a cocky smirk cover my face.

"You've heard about me?" I ask. Haley glares at me, but she can't hide her flushed cheeks. I must admit, I'm getting serious pleasure out of this conversation.

"Yeah, I told her what a jerk you've been," Haley says with an even tone in her voice. Damn, that doesn't sound like the tone of someone who was just about to admit her feelings for me.

Taylor laughs and sits down in between us. Seriously, why is this girl even here? "You're Luke's brother, right?"

"Unfortunately."

"So, is he still single?"

"Highly doubtful, Brooke Davis has her eyes on him."

Taylor bites her lip. "Hmm… but there's nothing definite going on?"

"If I tell you no, will you go away?" I ask. It sounds mean, I know, but I really want to talk to Haley.

"Whoa, hint noted," Taylor says, raising her eyebrows and throwing a look at Haley that I can't see. Luckily Haley is laughing into her sleeve. "Fine, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

"Taylor!" Haley yells, her laughing stopped and her eyes reading annoyance.

Taylor raises her hands and walks away.

"You were saying..?" I probe.

Haley bites her lip and continues staring down at the ground. "I… I don't know Nathan. I mean, I'm me, and you're you…"

"Exactly. Me and you, it could really work Hales."

Haley looks at me and smiles, a sweet smile. Full of sorrow. I think I know where this is going.

"It wouldn't work. I'd like to believe it would, but this is only going to hurt us in the long run. I'm sorry Nathan, but I think we should be just friends."

_Just friends._ The kiss of death.

* * *

Lucas comes to find me by the corn dog start, where I'm kind of gorging out. Comfort food, see?

"Hey," he says, like we actually get on or something. I raise my eyebrow at him and don't reply.

"Look, I get that you're an arrogant prick, but do you think you could put your hate for me on the back burner for a moment?" Lucas says. I look at him, finish of my corndog and shrug.

"What?" I say, in a kind of petulant tone. What can I say? I'm pissed off. I just got the 'just friends'. I've never been given that, especially not by someone I actually like as more than a friend.

"I found Rob Klein"

* * *


	30. Eyes Wide Open

**Chapter Thirty**

**Eyes Wide Open**

**Lucas**

Rob is staring at us like we're the ghosts of Christmas past and present, and with his past and present, that's got to be something to be scared of.

"Uh… look, before you… do whatever you're going to do, I think…" Rob's stuttering, like a pathetic spineless wimp.

"Shut up!" Nathan yells. His eyes are filled with this intense hatred and once again I feel like a complete prick for wrecking what he and Haley had. I was jealous, I thought I was in love with her my self.

And I was. Kind of. Only it was more that I loved her than I was _in _love with her. I think over the years, because we were friends for so long, we were meant to be friends.

But I still don't think Nathan is good enough for her.

"You're weak, and you're pathetic," Nathan is saying now. "What kind of an asshole spikes a drink?"

"Calm down Nathan," I say, staring at Rob with disgust in my eyes. He actually throws me a look of gratitude. The idiot. "Rob had to spike them, no girl would look at him otherwise. He's repulsive and slimy."

Nathan smirks at me, and for a second, we share a moment of friendship.

"Now, why shouldn't we pound you into the ground like you deserve?" Nathan asks. Oh that's good, make the guy think he has a chance.

"It's not as if I spiked anyone you were interested in Nate! I mean, it was an ex-girlfriend and…" he throws a furtive glance at me, "And Luke's girlfriend. I didn't think you'd mind."

I have to physically restrain myself from jumping forward and punching Rob over and over again. It's just the satisfaction of making him sweat that stops me.

"Right, because I really would have liked my ex-girlfriend in your grubby paws?" Nathan says. I'm surprised he doesn't mention Haley.

"No… no she was an accident. She took the drink I made for Haley…"

"You prick!" I yell jumping forward and burying my fists into his face. Each punch brings me more satisfaction. Nathan pulls me back.

"Stop, okay?" he says. I throw him a look of disbelief.

"The worm deserves to suffer!" I shout. "You more than anyone should think so. He spiked Haley! The only reason he didn't get his way with her is because she fell in the pool and nearly died!"

Rob throws a confused look up at Nathan, "What does he mean you more than anyone? You don't have a thing for Haley, do you?"

Nathan flexes his fist but still doesn't do anything. "You think Haley would want us to do this?" he asks me.

Is he stupid. Of course! This guy spiked her and her best friend. "Of course she would."

Nathan shook his head. "I don't think she would, see, because Haley's not like that. She'd want us to rise above this… dog. If we beat him up now, as a gang, two against one, then we're just as cowardly as he is."

My mouth drops open. "So we're just going to let him get away with it?"

Nathan shakes his head. "I'm above him, but I'm not a damn saint!" He turns to Rob and bends down until they're at the same level. "I'd say goodbye to my basketball career now Rob, because me and every single boy in that team are going to haze you until it gets so bad, you cry yourself to sleep at night. We're going to make your life hellish misery, you hear me? So drop out of the team, or get ready for a whole year of us hazing you. And I expect there'll be a few beatings in there to, I mean what with all of the testosterone."

Nathan stands up again and I stare at him in amazement. That guy is surprising me every day. He turns to me and gestures towards the door. We're in Rob's bedroom.

"Let's go," he says. I don't argue with him, and we both walk out, leaving Rob a huddled mess in the corner of his room.

* * *

Brooke has completely outdone herself. This place is beyond amazing. It's decked out in navy blue and deep purple silk, and the ceiling is swathed over with black material and fairy lights. She said the theme is outdoors, because when people first settled here, they would have partied outdoors.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that they were Puritan's and didn't believe in partying. She was just so adorably excited that I couldn't stop her. And besides, it's a party, who cares if its historically inaccurate? Not me, that's for sure.

And she looks stunning. Her dark hair is swept up, kinda loose with tendrils framing her face and creamy shoulders. Her dress is stunning. A long red strapless thing that seems to move like liquid. I hadn't seen her until now, because I left before she changed earlier on. I was helping her set the room up when Jake rang me telling me that he'd saw Rob going into his house. I could tell he wanted to come along and get the jerk back for what he did to Peyton, but I persuaded him not to. After all, it was mine and Nathan's problem to handle. We started it, we had to finish it.

"You scrub up pretty well Scott number one," Brooke says when she reaches me. It's still early and not many people are here yet. She reaches up and hugs me. Her hair smells of cherries and papaya. Sweet and zingy at the same time.

"Well, you look… amazing Brooke. Absolutely amazing," I tell her. I wasn't really planning on saying anything. Maybe just a quick, 'you look nice', but when my mouth opened it was like a torrent of unfamiliar words just rushed out.

Brooke looks down in an unusually demure way and then smiles up at me. "I'm glad you think so, because…"

Brooke's cut off though as a vaguely familiar blonde approaches us and greets me. "Lucas Scott! Hi!"

Brooke looks annoyed, but she smiles pleasantly anyway. "Hi, I'm Brooke Davis," she says while I try to figure out where I know this blonde from.

"Uh huh," the blonde says, nodding at her and then turning back to me. "I'm Taylor James, Haley's sister…"

"Oh!" I say, recognition dawning. "You used to be the one who stole my action men when Christina babysat me!"

Taylor frowns. "Oh my God! I never even put you together with that _geeky_ little boy! Wow, you've certainly grown into your frame, haven't you?"

"Enough of the geeky please," I say, laughing.

"Well, come on Luke. I'd steal your action men and you didn't even care! You used to just sit in a corner and read a book. A book, Lucas! You were six or something."

"Oh, Lucas reads a lot," Brooke adds in. She's looking a little uncomfortable and she has her arms crossed.

"Are you okay?" I ask. She raises her eyebrows and smiles.

"I am now," she says.

And then it hits me. Brooke likes me. The Head-Cheerleader likes me. Oh… this is weird. I mean, that explains the whole pretending to read Iliad thing – it was just way too obvious – and the constant smiling and flirting. I thought she did it with everybody, but… why was she even in my room that night?

And… I do like her… as a friend, right? I mean, yeah! As a friend. She's sweet and cute, despite what everybody says about her. I know she has a reputation, but that doesn't really bother me. But… we _are _just friends. We have to be. It would be too weird if we weren't. Not so soon after Haley and I have broken up.

Taylor's saying something, and I realise that I've just been staring down at Brooke.

"What?" I say, dragging my eyes away.

Taylor sighs in annoyance. "I knew this was hopeless. Nathan said that you and Brooke had a thing…"

"What?" Brooke and I shout at once.

Taylor smirks. "I'll be seeing you," she says with a wink.

The second she goes an awkward silence of the like I'm not used to experiencing with Brooke enshrouds us. I look up at the fabric-covered ceiling and Brooke looks down at her sparkly red shoes. Oh God this is terrible.

"Brooke, do we need to talk?" I ask, knowing full well that we do but not wanting to be the one to openly admit it.

Brooke looks up and her dark hazel eyes catch mine. She gives a small smile and an awkward little shrug. "I guess we kind of do," she tells me.

The ball room is starting to fill up now. I can see Peyton and Jake arriving and I nod towards them. Brooke turns and sees them, giving an exasperated sigh. I guess I am kind of putting off the inevitable.

"Okay," I say, putting both of my hands up in a sign of surrender. "So… you have a thing for me?" I don't mean for it to come out cocky, but it does. Brooke rolls her eyes.

"Jeez, don't get so big-headed over it. I like a lot of guys."

She's putting on a bravado act and I'm not buying it. Well, it's pretty obvious when she raises her hand to push a strand of hair from her face and it's shaking.

"I wasn't getting big-headed" I say, putting my hand at the small of Brooke's back and pushing her towards a small alcove. From here we can't see anyone, and they can't see us. "I was just repeating what Taylor had said."

"Yeah, well," Brooke snaps. She's getting really fired up and I love her feistiness. "If you'd listened, Taylor said that _we_ had a thing. As in me and you, not completely one sided."

Oh God, how do I tell her that I didn't have a thing for her? _Don't _have a thing for her?

Who am I kidding? She's Brooke Davis; of _course_ I have a thing for her. It's just, I never though that there would be a situation where anything could be done about it. I mean, yeah, I've always thought she was hot, and these last few weeks I've got to know her a bit more and I really like her personality, but… well, the thought that anything could happen between us is mind-boggling.

She's looking at me now with raised eyebrows and a pout. She looks adorable, but I don't think that's the look she's going for. She's waiting for my response and I honestly have no idea what I'm supposed to say.

"I… I had no idea," I say. I know that it is in no way the right thing to say, but it's the only thing that seems to even remotely fit.

Brooke groans in frustration again. "Why are we even talking?" She asks me. "God Lucas! I… I've liked you for _so _long and you've been clueless, and then Taylor says that she heard we had a 'thing… do you have any idea how happy that made me? For like, a second I thought you liked me back! But now you're acting like the _idea_ of me and you together repulses you!" She takes a deep breath and lowers her voice. "Well don't worry about it, I'm leaving. You don't have to so much as _look _at me tonight if that makes you feel better."

She turns to walk away, but what she's been saying really get's through to me somehow. For a moment, I completely forget about all the reason's we shouldn't be together – the fact that me and Haley have just broke up, the fact that she's Nathan's friend, the fact that we have little to nothing in common – and instead think about one single thing.

I like her.

I can't let her walk away thinking that I don't, so I reach out and grab her wrist, gently. I pull her towards me until we're stood chest to chest.

"Lucas, what are you…" she starts, but I don't let her finish. I lower my head and put my lips on hers. It's a sweet kiss, not passionate, but perfect anyway.

We both pull away from each other and she smiles up at me. "Wow," she whispers, "just when I'd given it up as a lost cause."

I grin at that. "Look, we're going to have to go slow, alright?"

"Absolutely," Brooke nods.

"Because I've just broke up with Haley and it could be awkward…"

"She knows that I like you."

"I don't mean it like that. I just don't want people to think that you're my rebound girl."

Brooke's eyes light up. She reaches up and kisses me, deeper this time. There's definitely passion there. It's like we've both acknowledged something together, as one.

"Oh!" Brooke says pulling away. "I'm not a big reader. I just didn't want that lie hanging in the air."

I laugh. She looks so serious. "Brooke, I know that you haven't read Iliad, it just seemed so important to you that I thought so that I didn't want to burst your bubble."

Brooke kisses me again. "Wow Mr. Scott, I think you may just be perfect."

_Likewise,_ I think to myself. Brooke Davis _is _perfect.

* * *


	31. Every Planet We Reach is Dead

**Chapter Thirty-One**

**Every Planet We Reach is Dead**

**Rob Klein**

How dare they? Coming in here like they own not just the school, but my house as well. Threatening me in my _own _bedroom.

And Nathan Scott is the worst. He thinks he's so special all the Goddamn time. He expects everyone to bow down and follow him, and because we're so thoughtless we do, without question.

Well not anymore. I'm sick of being one of Nathan Scott's sheep. I can do better than that. I'll show him. I'll show all of them.

No one will follow Nathan Scott anymore.

How can you follow something that isn't there?


	32. Danger Zone

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

**Danger Zone**

**Haley**

"Would you like a glass of champagne?"

I turn to face the elegant waitress holding out a tray filled with long-stemmed champagne flutes. God, I love my dress, but I think her whole waitress outfit is worth more than like, three of my dresses.

"No thanks," I say, smiling politely as she walks away and offers the next person a champagne. I've learnt my lesson. Never take alcohol at a party thrown by Brooke.

I'm joking of course. Well, kind of anyway.

I can't find Lucas or Brooke anywhere, and Nathan hasn't shown up yet either. Seriously, I am that desperate for some company that I'm even considering Nathan.

Don't get me wrong, I love Peyton to bits, and Jake is a really nice guy too, but together they're the most obnoxiously cute couple ever. All little giggles and private 'in-jokes'. God, they should shoot the person who first thought it would be a good idea to have 'in-jokes'.

Thinking about that makes me think of Lucas. I guess I'm feeling a little lost without him. This is the first party I've been to where I'm not one part of Lucas-and-Haley. Now I'm just Haley. No 'Lucas'. No 'and'. No hyphens.

God, this is getting bad. I'm starting to reminisce about Lucas. I would seriously leave right now if it wasn't for the fact that I'm wearing this dress.

It's gorgeous, a deep emerald green silk with a corset and a full skirt. Not overly-full though, like I knock out everyone within a five-foot radius with it, just nicely full, where it swishes as I walk. Lucy tied my hair up into a tight chignon and Taylor did my make-up. I think I was their project for the night.

Ugh, and it was apparently for nothing because I am having the worst time. I look around again. This place is packed, and I can't seem to find a single person other than Peyton and Jake who I know. Why isn't Nathan here anyway? He said he would be.

I bite my lip as I remember our earlier conversation. I regretted it as soon as the words 'just friends' came out of my mouth. I mean, I meant it, I guess… it's just that, at the back of my mind there's always been this niggling little grip that refuses to let go of the idea of Haley-and-Nathan, no matter how much I want it to.

"Haley!"

Doth my ears decieve me? Is someone actually calling my name? Does someone here actually _know _me? Surely not.

Oh get on with it Haley!

I turn around to see Taylor approaching me carrying two glasses of champagne and a stuffed olive. How she performs this magnificent balancing act I have no idea, but as soon as she reaches me she hands me a glass of the champagne and throws the olive in her mouth like it's a piece of gum.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. According to Peyton the tickets were like gold dust.

Taylor rolls her eyes. "I thought I could get in with Lucas, but he's like totally smitten with that Brooke girl."

"I mean how did... what?"

"Brooke and Lucas. They're probably off in the car park making out or something. Anyway, would you believe I managed to get this ticket cheap? You know, an event like this you'll always get people selling off invitations to make a bit of money, it's quite sad really, you'd think..."

I tune out Taylor's voice. Lucas and Brooke. Well, Brooke certainly moves fast.

Am I disappointed? A little, I guess. Not because I don't want them to be together, but in my head Lucas is still mine. I know that sounds completely wrong and possessive, especially when I finished it with him, but that's how my brain is working. Well, brain's have never been the most rational things anyway have they?

All I know is that I don't love Lucas... and then it hits me. It's not disappointment I'm feeling, it's protectiveness. I want Lucas to be happy, and even though I love Brooke to bits, she does have a bit of a reputation over being a man-eater.

But like she said, she really likes him. Brooke has been so good to me during this whole mess that I feel she deserves the benefit of the doubt, and she's definitely going to get it from me. After all, what are friends for?

"Haley? Haley!"

I snap out of my thoughts as Taylor practically yells at me. "What?" I ask.

"Have you heard a single word I've said."

"No."

"Gee, thanks. Don't even try to hide it. God, you are so clueless Haley! I said you'd better turn around."

What is he rabling on about now? I know that's slightly hypocritical given that I've just been in the middle of a major inner ramble, but I don't care. Taylor is just weird. "What?" I ask again.

She nods nehind me, looking up. I turn and see a solid chest covered in a crisp white open-necked shirt and a Dinner Jacket. I follow it up and see a crooked smile, followed by shining eyes.

"Oh!" I say, surprised to see someone else I notice after such a dry spell. Seriously, you wait all night (well, half an hour) for someone you recognise and then two come along at once.

"Hello Nathan."

* * *

"Stop!" I cry, wiping the tears from my eyes as Nathan tells me about one of Tim's brilliant idea's. Honestly, if there was a Nobel Peace Prize for Idiocy, that guy would be short-listed for sure.

"Why? I'm having fun," Nathan replies, smiling at me with sincere eyes. We're sat at a large round table and we're in between main course and dessert. For some odd reason, Nathan and I ended up at a table by ourselves with a bunch of city investment types, while the rest of the people our age ended up on one single table with two lost-looking city investment types.

You know, I say 'for some odd reason', what I really mean is, 'for some Brooke reason', seeing as this has her written all over it. I was seriously considering going over to her and playing hell about her and Lucas just to get even, except... well, except that me and Nathan are having so much fun. Seriously. Here he is, being himself, and I'm having fun.

It's enough to make me reconsider the whole no 'Nathan-and-Haley' thing.

"Summer Berries Cheesecake," a male waiter says, putting down a plate in front of me. Oh wow. My mouth is watering just from looking at that.

"Mmm," I say, turning to Nathan and ignoring the City Investment type to my right who is going on about who unprofessional the presentation of the cake is. Dude, it's just going to end up a smushed mess at the bottom of your stomach! Get over it.

"Yeah, this looks pretty nice," Nathan says, looking down at his Toffee Pavlova. Well, there's one more thing I know about Nathan Scott. He has one hell of a sweet tooth.

The dessert is stunning, and even though I'm full by the time I finish I'm so sad that it's ended. The sign of truly great food.

"Well that was..." Nathan says.

"Delicious," I finish for him. He looks at me and smiles, reaching up to wipe something from my mouth.

"Crumb," he says matter-of-factly. I don't believe him, but I'm not going to call him on it. The second his fingers touched my lip I just felt a jolt of electricity.

"Sure," I say instead. Nathan's phone beeps for what seems like the millionth time since we sat down, and the moment's over. Finished. The end. Damn technology.

"Is that important?" I ask, trying - and failing - not to pry. "It's just that, it's beeped a lot."

Nathan nods in agreement before reaching into his pocket. He looks at the message and his brows furrow in annoyance. He tuts loudly and then throws the phone back into his pocket. I daren't ask anything. It might be his dad. I know that conversation didn't go so well last time.

"Do you want to dance?"

My eye's shoot up and catch Nathan's. All around the lights have started to dim and the DJ is playing some slow 'after-dinner' songs.

"Nathan, we've just ate," I tell him in a 'duh' voice. Nathan shrugs.

"So? Come on Hales, where's your sense of adventure?"

I raise an eyebrow. Well, it's definitely not in this corset. I don't think even air can fit in this baby with all of the food I've just consumed. I'm just about to say no some more when Nathan jumps up and holds out his hand. I look around and see the whole table where we probably should have sat staring at us. Even Lucas has a sparkle of mischeif in his eye that siggests he's not too bothered if me and Nathan dance.

A three year relationship and he's over me already. Wow, I feel _special_.

Actually, I'm really not bothered. Nowhere near as much as I should be. butterfles decided that _they're _going to dance in m stomach, so why shouldn't I? I reach up and put my hand in Nathan's, and feel that familiar jolt of electricity as our skin touches.

We walk over to the floor, as the chorus of 'I Shall Believe' starts up. And we're dancing. And Nathan is surprisingly good at it. If it was anyone else, I would worry about his sexuality.

But it's Nathan. And he likes me a whole lot. And I like him. Why the hell aren't we together?

I put my head on Nathan's chest and feel his heart beating. It's a little faster than average and that thought comforts me no end.

The song finishes, and I want to keep dancing but I can't. The dancefloor is too hot and I don't think I can take all of the shininess. I take a step back.

"I'm going to go freshen up," I say. Nathan smiles but doesn't say anything. Instead he leans down and kisses me softly on the lips. If it were any other time, I'd play hell, but it's not. It's _this _time, and _this_ time, I'm going to give it a chance.

I'm going to give Nathan-and-Haley a chance.

* * *

**Wow, I think that you guys should know how much I love you. No, I really, really love you. The response to the last two chapters was amazing, and this story is coming to an end now so I hope you all enjoy the ending (I think there's about another three chapters).**

**Anyway, so yeah. Just thanks a lot.**


	33. Felling a Moment

**This Chapter is split into two POV's, and is not strictly chronological. Please don't hurt me if it's confusing, but I just thought this way would work best.**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

**Feeling a Moment**

**Haley**

Wow, shiny isn't the word. I don't think that shiny quite defines just how my face is right now. Ugh, and Nathan saw me like this. You know, you would think at a party like this, the AC would be pushed up to the max?

Yeah, as you can probably see I am in the middle of a thought ramble. Tends to happen when I am nervous. Like, really _really _nervous. Oh God, I feel like I'm about to walk out to my own execution or something.

So, this is what's going to happen. I'm going to go out there and me and Nathan are going to have... well, we're going to have a talk. I've already planned it out in my head. This is how it's going to be:

_Me: Nathan, we need to talk_

_Nathan: Of course Haley, light of my life, love of..._

Um... no. Let's try again.

_Me: Nathan, we need to talk._

_Nathan: Sure._

_Me: Okay, don't speak because I have this whole speech planned out _(Which I have, by the way)._ See, I know that in the past couple of days, I've just kept pushing you away, and to me it seemed like the right thing, only now... well now I don't think it is. The right thing, I mean. See, the way we are together, and the way you make me feel, I know now that that's no lie. I know that even though we don't know each other too well, and that we're from two completely different sides of the High School spectrum, we work. Inexplicable and unexplainably, we work._

And, whatever he says in reply to that. Hopefully something along the lines of, _"I love you Haley"_. In fact, I'm kind of hoping he cuts me off with a kiss halfway through because I don't have much confidence in remembering all of that.

I wipe my face down with some powder and reapply my lipstick. Thankfully my hair is still in place. That hairspray is really worth the money.

Right, time to go and confront my demons...

Just as I'm throwing everything back into my small silk clutch, my phone goes off.

Ha, maybe I'm thinking it's fate! Nathan's phone has been beeping all night and now mine has! I just don't know whether it's a good sign or a bad sign.

I reach for it and press the button that lets me get to my message.

**Haley, can you come out to the car park? We need to talk...**

**Nathan**

Weird. I don't recognise the number, but then that's probably because I don't have Nathan's number anyway.

I get it! He's feeling what I'm feeling. He knows we need to talk and he doesn't want to do it in the hustle (and the heat) of the ballroom.

Okay, so take deep breaths and go out there. I throw my mobile back into my bag and close the clasp.

It's cold out, and I idly wonder why Nathan's not here yet. I stroke my hands up and down my arms. God, what am I doing here? I'm not this stupid. I should have sent a text back saying that I would meet him in the cloakroom or something. Jeez, you have one stupid revelation and your common sense goes out of the window...

Suddenly a bright flash goes off. What the hell was that? I look around the car park, but all I can see are too-expensive cars ands street lights. I head towards the entrance.

Just as I'm under the awning, my phone buzzes again. I reach in and press the button, trying to get rid of the shivers at the back of my neck.

**Sorry just got held up by some old woman wanting to dance. U know me, do anything for the ladies :) I'll be out in a second...**

**Nathan x**

As I read his words the chills subside. I'm being silly. Nathan will be here in a second and then we can get on with this conversation that we need to have. I'm about to put my phone back in my bag when it starts ringing.

I press 'answer' and hold the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Haley?"

It's Nathan. There's something wrong with his voice. It's kind of rushed, like he's talking too fast. "Nathan? Wh..."

"Where are you?" Nathan goes on.

"Well, I'm here, like you asked me. Where are you? Is that old woman asking for a repeat?" I ask with a laugh.

"What? No, nevermind... Haley, where's 'here'? Where are you?"

"I'm in the carpark. Nathan, what's wrong? Why aren't you here yet?"

I can't lie, I'm getting worried. I don't know what's going on but the panic in Nathan's voice is really scaring me.

"Oh God Haley... I can't see you!"

I look around the car park again. Everything is still. Eeily still.

"I'm under the awning, near the entrance."

"Damn, I shouldn't have came out the side-door... Haley, can you... _BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP_"

The phone's cut off.

"Nathan?" I shout. "Nathan!"

**Nathan**

"I'm just going to go and freshen up."

I look down at Haley and smile. I can't help myself. I reach down and kiss her softly - just a peck. I step back and wait for the fireworks. I can hear some idiots at our friend's table giving a wolf whistle. Great, she's going to kill me.

She smiles at me - a real genuine smile, not a 'Yeah-I'm-gunna-kick-your-ass' smile. She goes to say something but instead raises her index finger. "I'll be back in a moment."

I watch in amazement as she walks off towards the girl's restroom, that genuine smile still on her face.

Okay, did that just happen? Because I think that just happened.

"Hey stud!" Brooke says, coming over and whacking me playfully on the arm. "Guess what? I'll tell you - I think Haley's falling for you again."

I can't help but grin. It kinda feels like my birthday or something.

I'm beeped out of that thought with yet another text message making my phone go off. I leave it.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Brooke asks. She keeps glancing over at Lucas with a grin.

"Nah. It'll be another prank. What do you see in him anyway?" I joke, referencing Lucas.

"You've been getting pranks?" Brooke asks, obviously unable to answer my question. Ha ha.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just some punk thinking he's funny," I say like it's no big deal, because really, it's not.

"How'd he get your number?" Brooke goes on.

"Jeez Brooke, chill out, okay? It's nothing."

Brooke nods, but she doesn't look very convinced. I look back to the restroom. Haley's been gone a while.

"Aw, young love," Brooke teases.

"Like you can talk," I tell her with a grin. The two of us walk over to our friends.

"You like Haley?" Tim is saying, dumbstruck. God that boy is an idiot. I told him in front of the whole class that I like Haley.

"Duh," Kevin Devino says, raising an eyebrow.

"God, why do girls spend ages in the bathroom?" I ask no one in particular.

"Because," Peyton says, stepping away from Jake long enough to contribute. "Girls like to look good, especially when they want to impress someone." She finishes this delightful insight off with a wink.

Damn, I'm smiling.

"Oh! He's so cute!" Brooke says. I raise my eyebrow and catch Luke's eye. He looks uncomfortable. I was so happy about what's happening with me and Haley that I completely forgot that he and Haley used to date. Boy, have my priorities changed.

My phone beeps again.

"Oh for the love of God Nathan!" Brooke shouts like I'm making my phone beep on purpose. "You have no idea who's texting you?"

"No, I don't" I tell her, taking the phone out of my pocket with a furrowed brow. God, if I knew which asshole had been sending these moronic texts I'd have...

I almost drop the phone in shock. It's a picture message. Haley is stood in her dress. I can't work out where she is, but it's dark. Underneath is some words:

**Do you know where she is Nathan?**

Oh my God... these texts aren't just annoying any more. they're dangerous. This person has his eye on Haley... he knows where she is now. He could do anything.

"What does it say?"

I look up to see Brooke surveying me curiously. I can't answer, I turn around and run for the door. It's shut. Why the hell is the door shut?

I turn around, panic rising and run back through the ballroom.

"Nathan, what's going on?" Lucas calls, and I notice quite a few people staring at me. I can't say anything, I just run for the fire exit.

"Nate, you can't open that door!" Brooke shouts, but I ignore her. I open it quickly and run out into the cool night air. I can't see her here. I'm in a car park.

I frantically dial in Haley's number. I got it from Luke's phone when I first came up with this plan.

Stupid Plan!

Thankfully, the phone is answered promptly "Hello?" Haley says, her voice kind of confused.

"Haley?" I practically shout, trying not toshow how worried I am. It's not working.

"Nathan? Wh..."

"Where are you?" I cut in. I can't afford for her to be out there this long.

"Well, I'm here, like you asked me. Where are you? Is that old woman asking for a repeat?" She asks. Oh God, what the hell is happening?

"What? No, nevermind... Haley, where's 'here'? Where are you?"

"I'm in the carpark. Nathan, what's wrong? Why aren't you here yet?"

She's in the carpark? I look around, but I can't see her. I run out and turn. She's nowhere to be seen

"Oh God Haley... I can't see you!"

"I'm under the awning, near the entrance."

The entrance? I completely forgot that the car park goes around the building. I start running.

"Damn, I shouldn't have came out the side-door... Haley, can you..."

I don't get to finish though. I don't get to finish because a seemingly empty car isn't so empty. The headlights come on, and the phone is knocked from my hands as the car ploughs towards me.

And then everything goes hazy. I'm staring up at the dark sky, the stars merging together.

Is this death?

LINE


	34. What Becomes of Us

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

**What Becomes of Us**

**Peyton**

"Oh for the love of God Nathan!"

I look away from Jake – okay, I admit it, I've been one of those sickeningly sweet couples all night, the one's I usually vow to hate – and look at Brooke.

"You have no idea who's texting you?" she goes on, throwing Nathan an aggravated look. I strain my neck and see that he's looking at his cell phone.

"No, I don't" He says with a raised eyebrow. His eyes scan the text in front of him and immediately I can tell something is wrong. Nathan and I may not have had the most meaningful relationship, but we still _had _a relationship and right now he is using his 'I'm-seriously-worried' face.

"What does it say?" Brooke asks with an expression that's two-parts curious, one-part annoyed and about billion-parts concerned. I'm wondering the same thing.

Nathan doesn't answer, just seems to spring to life and runs across the ballroom to the entrance doors.

"What's happening?" I say to no-one in particular. Jake shrugs in confusion. All of us watch as Nathan turns away from the entrance doors and runs back through the ballroom.

"Nathan, what's going on?" Lucas shouts. A whole load of people are watching now as Nathan runs for the fire exit.

"Why is he using that door?" Brooke says, looking at us all with concern in her eyes. "He can't use that door, that's a fire hazard!" She raises her voice and shouts at Nathan, "Nate, you can't open that door!"

Nate either can't hear her, or he chooses to ignore her. He pushes open the door and runs through, his cell phone still clasped in his hands.

Brooke runs to the entrance doors and I follow her while the boys talk among themselves on why Nate is acting so weird. Lucas gets out of his seat as does Jake. I think they want to follow Nathan, but they're unsure whether they should. Nate was acting scary – it must have had something to do with that text message.

"Follow him," I shout to Jake over my shoulder as Brooke and I reach the door. She puts a hand on either side of the door and pushes. The door is stuck fast.

Brooke's eyes widen and she looks at me with horror expressed clearly. She pushes again, harder this time and a little hysterically. "It's not opening Peyton! Why isn't it opening?"

I put my hand on her shoulder and push her back from the doors a little. Maybe it's a pull door. Maybe Brooke's just worked herself into a panic and she can't remember. I grab the door handle and pull.

It won't budge.

Brooke is crying now. "Calm down," I say, even though I feel anything but calm myself. I don't know what's going on here, but it can't be good. Suddenly, even through the loud music I can hear a banging from the other side of the door. I ignore the people now crowding around us and step closer.

"Who's there?" I shout.

The banging stops, but I can hear a loud voice. A hysterical voice. Haley's voice.

"Peyton! Peyton is that you? I think Nathan is in trouble. Oh God, please tell me he's in there with you!"

Brooke's eyes widen again and she practically hurls herself at the door. "Haley! What do you mean?"

There's no sound from the other side, and both Brooke and I shout "Haley" at the same time.

"Oh my God!"

We turn to see Lucas run into the ball room from the fire exit. His eyes are wide and scared. Brooke runs towards him and lands in his arms as he tells her something. I don't get to see Brooke's reaction as a clicking sound comes from the door, and two seconds later the door is open with Haley practically falling into my arms, her mascara smudges by tears.

I look up at the door and see a scared looking busboy with a handful of keys.

"What happened?" I ask Haley forcefully. She doesn't answer me but looks up at Lucas as he walks over. Brooke isn't there. I can't see her.

I turn to the busboy. He's still rooted to the same spot in the foyer. "What happened? Why was the door locked?" I ask him, sounding way more in control than I feel. Everything is so confusing and I can't find a single constant. It's like the ground itself has shifted from beneath my feet and I'm struggling to keep my balance.

"I-I don't know." He stutters. "One of the fire alarms upstairs went off and the Doorman went to see what was up. He told me to wait here, but – but loads of people were passing through. I didn't see anyone lock the door. Only me and the doorman have a set of keys." His words are shaky and tripping over each other, but I can just about make them out.

As soon as he's finished Lucas walks over. His eyes are watery, and he looks like he's trying not to cry. Haley clutches onto him, fear in her eyes. She looks so scared and weak – it's horrible to watch.

"Please tell me he's alright," she says, looking up into his eyes, almost pleading. Lucas can't meet her eyes, and that's when it hits me like a ton of bricks. Something's happened to Nathan.

"We need to sit down," Lucas says. "You need to tell me what happened."

"But… but Nathan," she says, her voice breaking. Lucas puts his hand on the small of her back and leads her over to the table we were all sat on before. I look around for Jake, but I can't see him anywhere.

"Um… can I have your attention please, ladies and gentlemen?"

The voice crackles and seems to come from everywhere. The music has stopped and I look up to where the band was playing and see Kevin Devino stood looking awkward at the microphone. "I apologise for the interruption, but I just wanted to tell you guys not to panic, and that the party will carry on as normal. Please ignore the disturbance and have a good time… and, uh… get drunk! Um… yeah."

Oh, well that's appropriate. Kevin jumps down off the stage and walks over to the table. I follow him. "What was that?" I ask.

"Brooke couldn't go up herself. I offered to do it for her," he shrugs.

I nod and look back to where Lucas has sat Haley down. He kneels down next to her. "Haley, you need to tell us everything, okay?"

"What's going on?"

I turn to see Haley's Sister Taylor run over with wide eyes. "Haley, are you okay?" she goes on.

Haley nods but doesn't look at her. Instead she looks straight up at Nathan. "Tell me what happened to Nathan first."

Lucas looks down at the floor and then back up again. "We ran out and… and we saw him get hit by a car."

Everyone around the table gasps, and my hands fly up to my mouth. "Oh God," I say. "Is that where Jake is, taking Nathan to the hospital?"

Lucas shakes his head. "Nathan's not going to the hospital," he says. The table gasps again, like stupid lemmings.

"What do you mean?" Haley asks, her voice getting high-pitched. "He – he's okay, right? He's not… he's not…" she can't finish the sentence. "He's alive, right?"

Lucas looks down at the ground again. "We didn't react quickly enough. The car reversed and someone got out. He pulled Nathan into the back of the car. By the time we got over there, the doors had been locked. Jake smashed the passenger window, but the car drove of before we could do anything."

I feel a tear run down my face. "But… but he's not dead. He's still alive so… so all we have to do is find the car! Did you get the license plate?" I ask. I can tell that I've managed to inject a false sense of hope into my words without realising it.

"That car hit him fast…"

I turn around and see Jake stood behind me. His hand is covered with a makeshift bandage, his shirt cuff is covered in blood, and his eyes have the same watery look as Lucas's. I jump up and throw my arms around him. I feel his arms close around me and wish that this could make me feel a little better.

"Who was it?"

I turn around to see Haley looking at Lucas with fire in her eyes. She's been sitting so quiet up until now, but now she's speaking with a harsh edge to her words.

"I don't know… I couldn't see the face. I was too busy looking at Nathan."

"I got a text," Haley is saying now. "It was from Nathan… at least, I assumed it was from Nathan, now… now I'm not so sure."

"Nathan wasn't sending any texts," I offer, remembering the look on his face as he looked at that last message he's got. "He was receiving them, but he wasn't sending any."

Haley nods. "Whoever did this is sick… seriously just… just sick. They've planned the whole thing out. They made sure I was in that parking lot…"

"You were in the parking lot?" Lucas asks.

"Round by the front. That's why whoever's done this locked the front door. Because he wanted Nathan out at the back… but why? I don't get it. He rang me…"

"When? Are you sure it as him?" Lucas asks.

Haley nods. "Yeah, it was him. I think he was ringing me from the parking lot himself. He was telling me to stay put, and then… and then the phone went dead." Her voice goes flat at the end, and we're all thinking and hoping the same thing. That Nathan, unlike his phone, _isn't _dead.

We're all silent, even as the loud band music goes on behind us and someone is singing about how 'somewhere beyond the sea' his 'lover stands on golden sands'.

"Where's Brooke?" I ask now.

"In the parking lot, waiting for the police to come," Jake says, kissing the top of my head.

Before any of us can respond to that, Haley jumps out of the seat and runs out of the fire exit, which is still open and letting a soft breeze through.

"God no," Lucas whispers, jumping up. I grasp Jake's non-injured hand quickly, then let go and follow Haley.

The wind is soft and comforting, and it completely contrasts with the events of the night. Haley is stood still, staring at something on the ground, and Brooke is nowhere in sight. She must be at the front of the building, where Haley was earlier.

"Haley," I say softly. As if in slow motion, her knees buckle and her dress billows out as she falls to the ground. I reach forward and catch her by the elbows, seeing what's made her fall in the first place.

A pool of dark, red blood, glistening under the street light. Nathan's blood.

"Oh… oh God… oh Peyton, that… that's Na-Nathan's blood. That's his… wh-why is there so much?" she cries, turning around and burying her face in my neck. I stroke her hair and try not to let the horrifying sight upset me. I need to be strong for Haley.

"It's okay," I soothe, turning around to see Lucas watching us with tears in his eyes.

"I – I kept telling him we couldn't date," Haley is saying now. "Wh-why did I do that? Why did I stop 'us'? I sh-should have gone with my heart because I l-loved him Peyton! No! No, I do… I _love _him. Present tense. I was going to tell him tonight. But I can't… because he's gone. He's dead!"

Tears are falling down my cheeks and mingling with Haley's hair. "No!" I say in as stubborn a voice as I can manage. It still comes out shaky. "No, you can't say that Haley. Nathan needs us to believe in him, okay? He's strong Haley. We'll find him, okay? I…" I falter but draw myself up. I need to do this. "I promise Haley. I promise that you can tell Nathan exactly how you feel about him."

I feel a pair of strong arms encompass us and lean into them. Lucas. Haley's sobs are getting louder, and I feel torn. I want to help, but I can't. I'm powerless.

"I think I know who did this," Lucas says, almost as if he's trying to come to terms with what he's about to say.

* * *

"Rob Klein?" I ask incredulously. I've got my hand around Haley and we're sat on the wall of the parking lot with Brooke on the other side of her, stroking her hair. Lucas is stood up. The police cars are just driving away now as Lucas and Haley gave their statements. The Ball is over, and all of those people walked away none the wiser that someone possibly died tonight and someone else was knocked out. Turns out the doorman had been whacked with a shovel. That's how whoever did this managed to lock the doors – with his keys. Brooke's father wouldn't let her cancel the party though, that's why Kevin gave the speech. She refused. Kevin and Jake are off… somewhere. Roaming the streets for Rob or his car. Haley and Lucas wanted to go too, but the police wanted to talk to them.

Dan Scott is at the police station, like a bull in a china tea shop by all accounts. The cops kept exchanging looks as he went on about how stupid and unqualified they are, and how if Lucas gave them the license plate, why hadn't the car been found. He insisted on driving to the station with them, and we weren't about to argue. Anywhere with Dan Scott is a place we'd rather not be. Unfortunately. We've just spent two hours with him in the Parking Lot.

"Rob Klein… couldn't do this. He's a coward," Brooke says, obviously sharing my incredulity.

"Oh yeah, because it takes a lot of guts to run someone down when they're defenceless, huh?" Lucas says with an edge of venom to his voice.

"Why… why would Rob do it? Did you find him?" Brooke asks, making it clear that she's referring to the beating Rob was promised after his little drugging game.

Lucas nods. "Yeah, and I was all ready to beat his ass for what he did to Haley and Peyton… but Nathan wouldn't let me."

"What?" I ask, thinking I must have misheard. Nathan was out for that guy's blood. "Why not?"

Lucas looks at Haley. "He didn't want to lower himself to his level. He said Haley wouldn't want that."

I look down at Haley. Her shoulders are shaking. She's crying again, and who can blame her?

"So… why would he want to kill Nathan? Nathan _stopped _his butt from getting kicked." I say.

Lucas shrugs. "Rob would probably look at that as some kind of insult to his pride… look, whoever did this is clearly not right in the head. I can't give you an MO."

Silence…

"A what?" Brooke asks.

Lucas gives a faint ghost of a smile. "An MO, a motive."

"Oh."

Silence again.

Suddenly, as if sensing the moment, Haley's phone starts beeping. We all look at it like some kind of weapon. Haley pulls it out of her bag and looks at the screen. Her face goes white.

"It's the number I thought was Nathan's…" She says quietly. Lucas grabs it off her quickly and presses a button.

"Crap…" He mutters under his breath.

"What?" Haley yells. "What is it?"

Lucas shakes his head, but Haley reaches forward and takes the phone before he can stop her. A small whoosh of air escapes from her lips like she's been punched in the stomach. I lean over and look at the screen. My mouth drops open and I snatch the phone from Haley, like some perverse game of 'pass-the-phone'. I press the 'cancel' key and put the phone in my own bag. The image is haunting me.

Nathan's bloody, unconscious body, and beneath it, a simple sentence.

**If you want to say goodbye, come to the only place he's not a God…**

Brooke, the only person who never saw the message is looking from one face to the other with tears in her eyes. "What did it say?" she asks.

"The only place he's not a God," I say to myself. Where could that be?

"The tutor centre?" Haley offers.

Lucas shakes his head. He's already turning on his heel and the three of us jump up onto or feet and follow him. "Where are you going?" Brooke shouts.

"The only place he's not a God…" Lucas says, like it's blatantly obvious. He's walking towards his car and not paying the slightest attention to us.

"Where's that?" Haley asks. Her voice is so quiet it's like a ghost's whisper.

Lucas opens the car door and climbs into the front seat. Brooke goes into the passenger door and Haley and I clamber into the back. "Luke!" I yell, getting exasperated.

Lucas turns the key and sets the gear into reverse. As soon as he's out of the space, he begins to speak:

"Last year, when I first started playing for the Ravens, I couldn't get used to the gym, so Whitey took the whole team to the place I used to play. We had a game there so Whitey could show the others why I was on the team, and Nathan had a really bad game. At the end… at the end Whitey said something to him. He said, 'I guess you're not a God of the game here Nathan, huh?'"

The whole car goes silent.

Haley breaks it. "The River court." Lucas nods at her though the rear view.

"You really think that's where he is?" Brooke asks.

Lucas nods again. "Yeah, Rob was there, he heard it. He was the one who blamed the tarmac for Nathan's bad game… said he wasn't used to such cheap surroundings."

We spend the rest of the ride in silence. Scared at what we might find when we get to the River court.

* * *


	35. Time Will Reveal Us All

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

**Time will Reveal Us All**

**Haley**

We spend the car trip in silence. I don't know about everybody else, but the only thing I can see whenever I close my eyes is Nathan's body – bruised and bloody. Broken.

God, even in that state he was beautiful, his eyes closed like he was peaceful… Oh God, I can't blink because whenever I do, it's right there. No matter how much I try to tell myself that he's okay, that awful image flashes into my head. I don't want to say it, and I know nobody else does, but… he looked dead. Nathan Scott, so full of life and energy – too much sometimes – looked dead.

Another sob escapes my lips and I feel Peyton's arm close around my shoulder. God, I've tried to be so strong all night, and I just can't. It's like I've turned back into a little girl whose brother has stole her Barbie doll, only it's much, much worse. Nathan might be gone. The words on the text message are just as graffitied into my brain as the image – _If you want to say goodbye, come to the only place he's not a God – _what does that mean? _If you want to say goodbye_… I hope to God that won't be necessary. I pray that he's not already dead. I'm wishing that the picture that's seared on my brain now is not some twisted death picture.

And Rob Klein. Lucas reckons its Rob Klein who's done this, because Nathan hurt his pride. My sobs grow louder. Nathan was changing, he was changing because he thought he wasn't good enough for me, and I did nothing to stop him thinking that. In fact, I encouraged it. God, what if… I always thought it was so stupid when people did that. Oh what if I'd done this instead of that. I was always of the belief that our choices make us who we are, so there's no need for regret… but now, I'm not so sure. If I hadn't been so resistant to the idea of 'Nathan-and-Haley', we would be together by now, and maybe Nathan wouldn't have felt the need to change. Maybe he would have beat Rob up like he normally would, and Rob would be in hospital right now, unable to do any of this.

And the fact that Nathan didn't beat Rob up because he thought _I _would have thought less of him for it… It makes my heart hurt like hell. He was changing, and I barely even got a chance to see it.

"Oh my God!"

Brooke's voice makes me look up. She's staring out of the window with her hand over her mouth. Lucas doesn't even take the key out of the ignition, he opens the car door and runs like hell.

I look towards where Brooke is looking and where Lucas is running, and scream. Peyton pulls me closer to her as she stares wordlessly. We're all struck with horror at the sight in front of us.

An old Ford Escort is parked in the centre of the basketball court, and standing on top of it with a plastic petrol can is Rob Klein, smoking a cigarette and grinning like a maniac. I can't make it out, but I know that Nathan is in that car, and that the plastic can contains gasoline.

I can't stay in here, not while Nathan is in danger. I'm not stupid enough to think I can take on an athletic basketball player by myself, but I'm sick of feeling so helpless. Without a word I shrug Peyton off me and go to open the car door.

"Haley, no," Peyton says simply, tears filling her hazel eyes as she grabs on to my wrist.

Brooke turns to me and shakes her head. She can't speak. I look at both of them, pleading with my eyes for them to let me go. Peyton won't let go of my wrist, and Brooke slams her hand down on the lock. I know the doors won't unlock form the back.

"I need to go," I say, my voice shaking from crying so much.

"Haley, if you go out there… you might get hurt too," Brooke manages. "You can't risk it. _We _can't risk it. Nathan's hurt, but we won't let you get hurt too. And…" she trails off as she looks like she's struggling with herself to say something. "And Lucas can handle it. They'll be okay."

I shake my head still. I need to be there. Lucas _can't _do this on his own. He just can't.

I turn to Peyton, pleading again with my eyes, only this time I speak. "What if it was Jake in that car?" I ask, glancing back and watching as Rob jumps down from the car and Lucas holds his hands out like he's trying to keep the peace. No flames yet. "And Brooke, what if Lucas wasn't outside that car, but _inside _it. What if it was Jake or Lucas? You'd resent me if I kept you here." I look back again as Rob throws a punch at Lucas, which he manages to dodge. The three of us let out a small gasp of fright. My voice rises. "I need to be out there!"

Peyton looks at Brooke, and Brooke lifts her hand of the lock, but still doesn't pull it up. I'm still trapped.

"Okay, look," Peyton says, lowering her voice and staring past me at the car. "You need to get Nate out of that car before Rob can do anything to it…"

"Peyton!" Brooke exclaims, like she can't believe what her friend is saying. I think if the adrenaline wasn't pumping so loudly through my body, I wouldn't believe it either.

"So you need to sneak over there," Peyton goes on, like Brooke hasn't even spoken. "While Rob is busy with Lucas, and pull Nathan out of the car. I'll come with you."

I open my mouth to protest, but Peyton cuts me off. "Between the two of us, we might be able to pull Nathan back here quicker."

"And it'll be even quicker with three of us," Brooke adds, her voice edged with resignation, but her features showing determination. She pulls the lock open, and with a satisfying click, the doors are unlocked. The three of us open our doors as quietly as we can and walk as fast and as quiet as we can along the shrubs surrounding the River Court.

Luke and Rob are full on fighting now, and Rob's cigarette has fallen to the floor – thankfully away from the car – and the wind is pushing it further and further away. As we get closer to the car, the smell of gasoline is overwhelming, and my eyes water as the pungent fragrance is carried along to us by the soft breeze. Peyton puts her hand on my shoulder. She's trying to calm me down, stop me from getting hysterical. I give a weak smile to show that I'm focused, that I'm not about to start screaming when I see Nathan.

A loud groan makes us look towards Rob and Lucas again, Lucas is doubled over grabbing his stomach as Rob jumps on him. Brooke clamps her hand over her mouth to stop from screaming. I try to tell myself that Lucas will be all right. It's the only way to stay sane, and I need my sanity to save Nathan.

We all but crawl to the opposite side of Rob's car, the side where both Rob and Lucas can't see us. A brief glimpse through the windows shows that Lucas isn't doing so well. He's on the floor and Rob is on top of him. Brooke is crying quietly, trying to hide it from us.

"Brooke," I whisper, making a decision on the spot. "Have you got your cell phone on you? Either of you" I direct the question at Peyton as well. Brooke shakes her head.

"Mine's in the car," Peyton whispers softly. I look at Brooke.

"Okay, go back to the car and call the police. I can't believe we haven't done it before now."

Brooke shakes her head. "No, you two can't carry Nathan on your own."

She's right, of course, but I'm stubborn, and there's no way we can pull this of on our own. "Brooke, we won't need to if you call the police. Lucas can't hold his own against all of that adrenaline. Rob's psychotic for God's sake. We need the police."

Brooke takes one look at the car, and then at Lucas, who is still lying on the floor with blood on his clothes. She let's out a quiet sob and then clamps her hand over her mouth and nods, making her way back to Lucas's car through the shrubs.

I look at Peyton and we both swallow nervously, turning to look at the car door at the same time. I look in for the first time and my blood runs ice cold. Nathan's eyes are wide open, and he's not moving.

He's dead.

I feel the hysteria rising, my chest tightening and a bubble trying to burst out of my throat. Peyton hasn't seen yet, she's looking at me with a questioning look in her eyes. I can't take my eyes away, and then… then something amazing happens.

He blinks.

It's slow, and groggy, and he's eyes stay closed for longer than they should, but they open again, and he continues his lifeless stare at the back of the drivers seat.

I fall back down to the floor and feel tears streaming down my face, but my mouth is tilted into a smile.

"He's alive," I mouth. Peyton tries the door and finds it locked. I search for the keys and see them inside the car, at the front. Rob's locked them in.

I tap my index finger on the window, trying to grab Nathan's attention and only Nathan's attention. He blink's again, and his eyes move a fraction towards me, but not all the way. I tap a little louder and Nathan's eyes finally shift the whole way, and lock with mine.

I can't explain the feeling of joy when he looks at me, and his eyes widen with disbelief. My chest explodes with relief and love.

"Haley," Peyton whispers.

"Get me a rock," I order.

"What? Are you serious? Rob will hear you."

"The keys are inside, we can't get in any other way."

Peyton looks at the car, like she's trying to think of an alternative. She leans up and sees Nathan, still staring at us with unblinking eyes. I can tell the image unnerves her, because she stops breathing. He looks as he did when I first saw him. Dead.

Thankfully, he blinks again, and Peyton gives a breath of relief. "Nathan," she says. He opens his mouth, but no words come out. He looks lost, and scared. It's heart-breaking.

"He can't move," she whispers, and I nod. "He can't open the car from inside…"

I look back and spot what I'm looking for. A medium sized grey rock. I crawl over and grab it between my fingers, trying to crawl back on one hand as the weight pushes me down. I look up and see Brooke get back in Lucas's car, reaching immediately for her bag on the passenger seat. Good, then the police will be here soon, and hopefully Rob won't hear the glass break. I risk another look and see that Lucas has recovered, and it looks like he's got the upper hand. I breathe a sigh of relief, and grab the rock in both hands.

The window shatters a lot easier than it probably should, and some of the shards fall on Nathan, but less than if I had smashed the back window instead of the front. I look over and see Lucas and Rob looking towards us. Oh God. I pray for Lucas to carry on fighting as I reach into the car and pull up the lock, dropping the rock on the hard tarmac of the court. All of the doors open with a click, and Peyton pulls open the back door.

I jump in front of her and lean in, wiping shards of glass off Nathan's clothes.

"Are you okay?" I gasp, putting my hand on his cheek and staring into his eyes. They're dilated, which from my limited knowledge of first aid means he's concussed. It's amazing that he's awake.

"Haley?" he croaks, his cut lips moving slowly and stiffly. My eyes fill with tears and I stroke his hair. He winces and my hand meets a mass of stickiness. I pull my hand away and stare at it. Red. Blood.

"Shh," I whisper, shifting a little so Peyton can reach in too. "We're going to get you out of here." I turn to Peyton and nod. "Are you ready?" I ask, knowing that we shouldn't move Nathan, but knowing that we can't leave him in this gasoline covered car. Rob could throw a light at it any minute now.

We each take an arm and wrap it around our necks, pulling Nathan out as carefully as we can. Suddenly there's another smash as the petrol can breaks the driver window, causing the glass to explode everywhere. Peyton and I scream, and pull Nathan out quicker.

As soon as he's out of the car, we head straight for the shrubs, trying to get away.

We're not quick enough. I feel someone grasping at my hair and I drop Nathan on the tarmac, and Peyton can't hold his weight by herself. The two of them collapse as I scream. The pain on my scalp is excruciating, and I'm surprised my hair hasn't given up and snapped.

"Haley!"

Three voices. Peyton's loud, Lucas's croaky from somewhere behind me, and Nathan – his voice so quiet that it's drowned out by the other two, but I can hear it clearest of all.

Finally the tugging on my hair stops, but instead a strong arm curls around my throat, pulling tight so that it hurts to breathe.

"Get off her!" Lucas shouts, his voice still coming from behind me.

I look down at the floor and spot the rock that I opened the window with. I stare at that as Peyton and Lucas yell at Rob, whose grip gets tighter around my throat.

"Shut up!" he screams. I hear something flick and then feel something cool against the skin on my cheek. A glint of silver tells me that he's holding a knife. "Shut up or I'll drag this straight down to her throat, do you hear?"

Peyton's mouth flies open, but she doesn't speak, and behind I can feel Lucas's presence, but I can't see him.

Rob starts laughing. "Oh, this is so much fun, you know that Nate?"

I look at Nathan, who is slumped on the ground. He can't move, but his eyes are more alive than I've ever seen them, brimming with fire and anger. He stares straight at Rob and won't meet my eyes.

"Why…" he croaks. "Why are you doing this?"

Rob starts laughing again. He sounds like a maniac and the knife cuts into my face as he does so. I give a gasp of pain, but try to keep a stoic posture. I won't show how frightened I am. I need to be strong, for me, for Lucas, for Peyton. For Nathan.

"Oh Nathan! Don't you get it? You don't get to ask the questions here! You don't _own _this place like you own just about everywhere else. You're just a _mortal _here Nate." He takes the knife from my face and lowers it to my neck. "But you know what? I'm in a good mood, so I'll answer your 'why'. See, I'm _sick _of being one of the pathetic masses to worship you. I'm sick of allowing you to rule the whole Goddamn school! I'm sick of the fact that you can have any girl in the school, including tutor girl here."

He stops talking and I feel his breath on my face. Hot and thick and it smells of smoke and alcohol. Suddenly, the stabbing pain on my cheek is replaced by something rough and wet. I close my eyes in disgust as Rob licks my face.

"Let her go," Nathan says, his voice so frail and weak that my heart breaks all over again. Rob laughs again.

"No Nathan! You don't get to make orders here. _I'm _the king here, and this is my kingdom."

"Please," Nathan goes on, his voice pleading. "Please let her go. Do what you want to me but…" he stops talking and closes his eyes.

"Nathan!" I cry, but Rob tightens his arm and my air supply is cut off. I start choking as Nathan opens his eye again, his face contorted in pain.

"Hale…" He starts, but he can't manage anymore as his eyes close again. I start to panic as my oxygen supply is harder and harder to grasp, and my vision blurs.

Peyton's eyes widen, and she jumps up, but Rob jabs the knife towards her and she steps back. "Please stop!" she cries. I briefly wonder where Lucas is, but can't think for long as my vision seems to close in on itself.

With one last burst of energy, I force all of my power into my elbow, and thrust downwards.

Rob's eyes fly open and my elbow connects with his groin. He gasps in pain and I fall to the floor, gulping in great chunks of air. I turn and see Lucas has passed out, and blood is surrounding him on the tarmac. He was fighting unconsciousness for me, but it won out in the end.

Rob starts to pull himself to his feet, but I grab the rock from the floor and aim with all of my force at the back of his head. He lets out a _whoosh_ of air and collapses to the ground. Peyton is leaning over Nathan, and he's staring straight at me. I walk to him but his eyes move towards Lucas and then back to me. He wants me to check on Lucas. I nod and step over Rob's lifeless body.

Brooke runs over the Basketball court towards us and drops down beside Lucas at the same time I do. I can see a knife wound in his leg and his stomach. I rip off the silk at the bottom of my dress and wrap it tight around the leg wound, and Brooke follows my example, ripping her own dress and bunching it up in a ball, applying pressure to his stomach.

"Lucas?" She cries, shifting her legs so that she's lying down beside him. "Lucas, can you hear me?"

Luke's eyes flutter open. "Is it over?" he asks.

"Yeah," Brooke says. "Yeah, it's over. The police will be here any second."

Sure enough, at her words the sound of sirens pierces the silence of the River Court.

Lucas looks at me and reaches up to touch my cheek. "Does it hurt?" he asks. I give an unintentional laugh. I've got a scratch on my face and Lucas has deep stab wounds, and he's asking _me _if it hurts. I lean down and hug him, my tears mingling with his hair.

"Oh, please be okay," I whisper. Lucas smiles.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," he says. I laugh again.

"Nathan? Nathan!"

My blood freezes again, and my spine tenses up at Peyton's frantic voice. I jump up and run towards her and Nathan. Nathan's eyes are closed, and his chest isn't rising and falling.

"No," I whisper, shaking my head. Peyton starts sobbing.

I ignore the sounds of the police cars driving onto the court and collapse beside Nathan.

"Nathan, don't," I cry, putting my head on his chest. No heartbeat. "Please," I cry. "Please don't die! You can't die… I haven't told you I love you yet, or that I want there to be a 'Nathan-and-Haley'. You can't go, you can't leave me."

I put my hands on his shirt and bury my face in it, feeling the tears fall until it feels like I'm made entirely of water.

"Excuse me miss," a paramedic says, but I won't move. He's not dead. He's… he can't be. We've got so much to do, so much to say. He can't leave with all of these unspoken words.

I feel a pair of strong arms lift me up but I can't see anything. In my mind I'm still on Nathan's chest, and his eyes are open with his arms around me, stroking my hair and telling me that everything is going to be alright.

"No heartbeat!" the paramedic shouts, breaking through my foggy mind. I snap back to reality and feel Peyton crying on my shoulder. I stare straight ahead as the hustle and bustle fades into nothing.

It feels like I can hear everything, but I'm not listening. I don't listen to the shouts and the crying, the sound of the paramedics giving Nathan CPR, or the yells for help.

And I hear the words, "He's back!" but I don't listen to them. I don't want to believe them. It's like my whole body has turned to stone and nothing matters.

"He's back!"


	36. Lost On the Stoop

**AN: Just an in between-chapter. A double-whammy too! Yay!**

**Oh, only one more chapter after this double-update. I've already wrote it and you'll probably get it by tomorrow. Thirty-Eight chapters - oh they've gone by so quick :sniff:**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

**Lost On the Stoop**

**Nathan**

Well, this is trippy.

My head feels like it's full of air, and not in the stupid way, either. It feels like my head is lighter than my body, and it wants to float through all of this whiteness, but my body won't let it.

I look down and see that my body won't move because it's strapped down to the white concrete with white straps that look like string, but feel much stronger. I try to pull on them, but there's no give.

Damn. I guess my head won't fly away then.

I stop struggling and lie down flat, staring up at the swirling white above me. It's kind of nice to look at actually. Millions of shades of white, with glitter and other crap in it. They shift until there's a distinct shape. Wide eyes, cute nose, smiling eyes. Haley. I smile up at it, expecting to hear her voice. But I don't – I hear Brooke's.

"Still stuck here, huh?" she asks. I look around trying to find her, but I can't, and Haley's face has gone too.

"I guess," I say, only no sound comes out. It's like someone has pressed the mute button.

"I know Haley hasn't been here yet… but I think she's in shock, so don't you worry about it. Okay?"

I frown. Haley hasn't been here? She's in shock? Why?

"I mean, you gave us all quite a scare back there," Brooke goes on. I continue to look around, but I can't see her anywhere. Just white. Everywhere.

You know, this is actually kind of weird. Where am I?

"And Haley thought she'd lost you, just when she was finally ready to let you in."

Now what's _she _talking about? Haley and I have been together for years. We've got a son and daughter for God's sake. Their names are… why can't I remember their names?

"But, she'll be here. I promise. If it kills me, she'll be here."

Suddenly the white starts to shift, thinning out until it's not there any more. I look around and see that I'm lying on the grass, nothing binding me down. I pull myself up, expecting my head to pull the rest of my body with it into the air. It doesn't, I stay exactly where I am, facing a large red brick house.

"Daddy?"

I look around, thinking vaguely of Brooke. Why am I thinking of her? Was she just here?

"Daddy!"

Two tiny little voices continue to shout, and I look back towards the house in confusion as too little kids run towards me. A boy and a girl, both with dark hair, and the girl with blue eyes, the boy with brown.

"Uh… hey," I say, confused as hell. Where am I?

Hang on; did they just call me 'Daddy'?

"Daddy!" the girl shouts, running with her arms outstretched and grabbing onto my legs when she reaches me.

Okay, I think I've just entered the twilight zone. I'm seventeen. I'm not a daddy!

"Dad, Mom said we had to get you because she's made dinner – Mac and cheese, your favourite – and she said we could play basketball after dinner," the boy starts telling me, his dark eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Mom?" I ask, as the little girl grabs my hand and starts yanking me towards the house. "Who's Mom?"

The little boy rolls his eyes. "Ha, ha Dad. Hurry up; Mom will get angry if we don't hurry up."

The little girl has a surprisingly strong grip as she continues to drag me towards the house, and the little boy runs on in front of us, up the porch steps and through the front door.

It's on the porch steps when a figure appears in the door. A short, slim woman. Her auburn hair left loose and glossy, falling over her face. Her dark eyes shining with love and warmth, and her wide smile directed at me. She's beautiful.

"Go sit down with your brother," she tells the little girl. The girl gives me another hug and then runs into the house, leaving me and this beautiful woman alone.

"Uh… hey," I say awkwardly. The woman laugh and pulls me into a hug, only pulling away to kiss me softly on the lips.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she says, her voice shaking despite her happy face. It's like her voice doesn't quite match her face.

"Of course I'm okay," I tell her.

"And I'm so sorry I wasn't here before now," she goes on. I narrow my eyes.

"What…" I start, but she cuts me off as she carries on speaking, her happy face still mismatched with her sorrowful voice.

"But I was scared Nathan! I… I saw you die. I thought I'd lost you and I couldn't do anything."

I take a step back, but the woman's face looks unfazed. I lose my balance and fall down onto the porch.

The woman squats down beside me. "I thought you'd died, and there was so much I had to tell you… so much I _have _to tell you. I love you Nathan, and I didn't want to admit it, but now I do. I love you, I love you, I love you."

What the hell is happening? Suddenly, the woman's face switches and she looks younger. I recognise her, and she makes my heart beat faster… Haley.

"Haley?" I whisper.

"God, I really wish you would wake up, you know that? I can't relax while you're still asleep."

"I'm awake," I tell her, as memories of Haley start flooding my mind. The arcade, the kiss in the music room, the swimming pool, her face through a car window, some guy with his arm around her neck…

"I'm going to go… I just – I can't see you like this Nathan. It hurts too much." She stands up and starts to walk into the house.

"Wait," I start to shout, but my voice is really quiet.

"Please, don't hate me," she says, starting to cry as she starts to close the door.

"Haley…" I say, and finally my voice has substance.

But it doesn't matter, the view in front of me starts to shift and I've lost her…


	37. Innocent Eyes

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

**Innocent Eyes**

**Haley**

"Please, don't hate me," I whisper, getting to my feet and moving my hand from Nathan's arm. He looks so broken, and it's too painful for me to be in here. I stand up and kiss him softly on the cheek, turning on him and silently promising that I'll be here again tomorrow, but I'm not so sure I will.

God, what kind of horrible, horrible person am I? That I can't even stay in the same room as the person I love because he's in a coma. I mean, I've always hated hospitals, but this is Nathan. I should be able to bear it, and I can't. The tears that were swimming around in my eyes decide to fall, and I wipe them stubbornly before opening the door.

"Haley…"

I freeze, hand suspended above the door handle. It was so quiet it was barely even a whisper. I turn quickly and rush to be besides Nathan's bed, dropping back down onto the chair beside it.

"Nathan, was that you?" I ask softly. No answer.

It wasn't him. It was my mind playing cruel tricks on me to stay in the room a second longer. I start crying again. The doctor said he would wake up any day now. But every day the doctor's frown gets deeper and his words get emptier, no longer backed up by conviction.

He's been in a coma for over a week now, and this is the first time I've actually come to see him. Brooke came around last night and begged me to go see him. I think she's starting to give up hope. We went on the internet and read about people who have never woke up from coma's, people who've had to make the choice to turn off the life-support machine.

I turn around and look out onto the corridor, where Deb is still talking to the doctor. I pray that the word's 'life', 'machine' and 'support' aren't escaping from his lips in the negative sense.

"Hales…"

My head snaps round again, just in time for Nathan's eyes to flutter softly open. For a second, it doesn't register. I'm not taking in his slightly-open eyes and his lips moving like he's trying to say something.

"Water."

And just like that, I'm back in reality. Nathan's awake! I'm torn between hugging him and kissing him, but do neither. Instead I jump up and pour out a glass of ice water from the table beside his bed, and hold the glass up to his lips. He gulps it down gratefully, a little of it missing his mouth and falling onto the sheets behind him. I pull the glass away and go to get Deb, but I feel Nathan's finger move onto my hand and turn back round.

"Hey," he whispers. I start laughing, tears falling from my eyes again, and thi time I reach down and I kiss him softly on the lips.

"You're awake!" I exclaim, like an idiot. He attempts a smile.

"Looks like it."

I laugh again. "I'm gong to get your mom, okay? And the doctor."

I jump up and rush to the door.

"Haley," Nathan calls again, with barely a whisper.

"Yeah?"

He smiles. "I think I dreamed about you."

Oh God, I want so much to run over there and hug him and kiss him, and tell him that I love him… but I won't, because now's not the time. Nathan's awake! We have all the time in the world.

LINE

"What's going on?" Jake asks as I run into the cafeteria. I admit, I probably look a mess, with tears streaming down my face and my mascara smudged, but I don't care.

"Is Nathan okay?" Lucas asks, his voice carrying an edge to it.

"He's awake!" I squeal, ignoring the somewhat annoyed looks from the people around us.

"What?" Brooke yells, jumping up.

"He's awake!" I shout again, and Brooke starts squealing and pulls me into a hug. When we pull away Lucas is smiling and Peyton's eyes are filling with tears as Jake pulls her in close.

"Can we go see him?" Peyton asks.

"Not yet, he's in there with his mom and the doctor. It… it was amazing," I say, shaking my head. "He called my name, and then his eyes opened, just as I was about to leave."

The five of us sit back down at the table, and we're all crying. God, we must look like such sentimental fools, but I don't care. Nathan's awake. Nathan's awake. Nathan's awake. That little two-word phrase is spinning about in my head, giving me a little jolt every time I take it in.

"I told you," Brooke says. "I said that if you came in to see him, he'd wake up. He just needed to hear your voice tutor girl."

LINE

"Well, he's still a wise-ass," Lucas says, coming out of Nathan's room with a dopey smile on his face and Brooke beside him, wearing an even dozier smile. I laugh at him and he sits down beside me, wrapping his arms around me. I'm sat in the waiting room with Peyton and Jake, and Lucas and Brooke have just been to see Nathan.

"You sure you don't want to go next?" Peyton asks, getting to her feet.

"Yeah, I'd rather go last," I tell her, as she and Jake walk towards the room.

Apparently Dan is on some business trip, and he's on his way home from Charlotte, but I'm hoping that I'll get a good half-hour with Nathan before he gets back. Only three people are allowed in the waiting room at a time, and Deb is in there now. If Dan came back, I'd have to sit in there with him and Deb, and I can't imagine being able to say much with Dan Scott there.

But then, what do I really want to say? I mean, that's obvious, I want to tell him I love him, and that I want to be with him… but is now really the time?

Peyton and Jake are only in there for ten minutes, but it feels like hours. I keep glancing nervously at the clock hoping Dan won't be back.

The two of them come out with similar grins to Lucas and Brooke and sit back down, looking over at me. I nervously rise to my feet and make my way to Nathan.

He looks so much different to how he looked this morning. His cheeks have got a healthy glow, and his eyes are wide open, sparkling when I come in.

"Hey," I say as soon as he looks over at me.

"Hey back," he grins. He's so full of life and vitality that I no longer notice the tubes running into him.

I sit on the seat beside his bed and smile up at Deb nervously. She smiles at me and stands up.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

Deb winks at Nathan and then smiles again at me. "I'll give you two some time alone. I need to get a coffee anyway."

A deep blush takes over my face as Deb lets herself out.

"You know, has anyone ever told you that you look lovely in red?" Nathan says, and I swat him playfully on the arm.

We stare at each other for a while, as if trying to figure out what we're supposed to say, and whether we should say it.

"I love you."

My eyes widen. That wasn't me, it was Nathan. My eyes fill with tears again.

"Oh God, I love you too," I whisper, grabbing his hand. He squeezes mine and the two of us smile at each other with dopy grins on our faces. "And, I don't want you to ever change," I tell him. "I misjudged you, but I love you just as you are…"

Nathan shakes his head. "Too late," he says softly. "I have changed, and we both know you didn't love who I used to be. _I _wasn't too hot on who I used to be, but… but I put up a wall Hales. I hated letting anyone in because I thought that once anyone figured me out, they'd treat me like my dad does."

I'm crying, and I raise Nathan's hand to my lips, kissing them. "I would never do that," I tell him.

"I know, and that's why I fell in love with you. I let you in and you didn't take advantage, you didn't make me feel like I wasn't good enough"

I let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah, until I said that we couldn't be together."

Nathan shakes his head, "No, even then you didn't make me feel like I wasn't good enough. It was _me _who made that connection, and I wanted to be good enough for you Hales. I wanted to be perfect, just like you are."

"Oh Nathan, I'm not perfect. I mean, I couldn't even come into this hospital because I was so scared…"

"You still came though. You were there when I woke up."

I nod, and Nathan moves his hand up my face, wiping away the tears. I lean down and kiss him on the lips again. "So… does this mean there's going to be a 'Nathan-and-Haley'?" I ask.

Nathan frowns. "A what?"

I shake my head and laugh. God, it sounds so lame now. "I just mean… that my walls are down. Um…" How the hell do I say this? "I want to be with you Nathan… always and forever."

"Yeah. You finally going to let me in?" he asks, still cupping my face in his hand.

"You're already in."

Nathan pulls himself up on his elbows, and I'm about to tell him to stop straining himself, but he speaks before I have a chance.

"I can't wait to get out of this bed, can't wait to hold you, and walk with you hand-in-hand."

The door opens behind me, and the two of us turn to it.

Dan Scott stands there, his business suit immaculate and a smile on his face.

"Son," he says. Nathan looks me in the eyes and doesn't say anything.

"I was just talking to the doctor. He said there'll be no long term damage, and you'll be able to play Basketball again, maybe even by the end of the month."

Nathan finally looks away from me and smiles weakly at his dad. "That's great," he says flatly.

"Where's your mother? I can't believe she left you here on your own…" Dan goes on, looking straight through me.

Nathan looks at me again and raises an eyebrow. "I'm not on my own Dad, I'm with Haley."

Dan Scott looks at me briefly. "Aren't you Lucas's girlfriend?" he asks, looking like he's never seen me in my life. I open my mouth to answer that I'm not, but Nathan beats me to it.

"No Dad, she's mine."

**AN: Please R&R**


	38. The Games Already Won

**AN: It's over! I feel like singing Frank Sinatra now..."and now we've reached, the final curtain... la la la la! la la la la! la la la la! la la uncertain!" (obviously don't know the words.)**

**I'm not sure I'm happy about how this turned out, but I rewrote it about a bajillion times and I don't think I can do anything more with it.**

**Oh well, I'll try and make it up to you with a nice sequel. Here goes...**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

**The Game's Already Won**

**Nathan**

"Wow, attractive."

I turn around to see Lucas in the door, watching as I struggle to lift a box of heavy stuff. Really heavy stuff.

"Well, you could always help," I snap. Lucas laughs and walks in, taking one side of the box while I take the other. We manage to get downstairs and throw the box in the trunk of my car.

"Is that everything?" Lucas asks. I raise my eyebrows like he's crazy.

"I'm going to college Lucas, not on vacation. Of course there's some more stuff."

Lucas rolls his eyes, but over the next ten minutes the two of us manage to successfully squeeze all of the boxes and luggage in my room into the back of my Land Rover.

"Wow, my little brother is going to college before me," Lucas says with a shrug. I roll my eyes at him.

"A whole twodays before you," I laugh. Lucas starts Princeton in at the start of next month, I start Duke this month.

Lucas laughs with me. It's amazing that we used to hate each others guts. We can actually stand to be in the same room now, it's really quite amazing.

"When are you leaving?" He asks.

"About twelve," I tell him, looking again at the mountain of clothes and junk in the back of my car. This is going to be quite a cramped ride. Lucas checks his watch. It's only ten o'clock.

"How do you feel about a cup of coffee at Karen's?" He asks when he looks back up again. "I'll give Brooke, Peyton and Jake a call, say goodbye properly."

"Sounds good," I tell him. He pulls his cell-phone out of his pocket and starts dialling numbers. I go back into the house, walking into the kitchen.

"Everything's done." I say to my mom and dad. They look at me, my mom's eyes filled with proud tears and my dad giving me a crooked grin. "I'm not setting off until twelve, but I'm going to Karen's for a coffee with everyone, so I'll probably see you again just before I go."

"Okay son," Dad says, draining his coffee. Mom gives me a hug, her eyes still filled with tears. "We're proud of you… just make sure you maintain your basketball commitments," Dad goes on. I roll my eyes and walk back up to my room before he can give me yet another lecture. I don't know whats happening with him and Mom. I know she wants a divorce, but my dad's not going to give it to her easily. So they're living together like Mr and Mrs Happily Married. It kind of sucks.

I reach my bedroom and push open the door again, looking around my nearly empty room. All that's left is some furniture, including my bed and duvet covers. And under those duvet covers is my girlfriend.

Haley James.

"Hey, sleepyhead," I say softly, pulling the duvet cover from her. She groans and grabs it back, but not before I admire her figure in my Tree Hill Ravens basketball Jersey. I laugh at her tiny form, huddled up while she lies face down in my pillows. "Still hung over?" I ask.

She turns around and rubs her eyes with her fists. "What time is it?" she asks.

"Past ten," I reply. Her eyes widen and she goes to jump off the bed, but stops and clutches her head with another groan. I hand her the glass of water and aspirin that I'd left on the bedside table when I was packing our stuff out.

Her parents decided two weeks ago that seeing as how their youngest daughter was going to university – or flying the nest as they had put it – they were going to embrace their lifetime dream of travelling America in an RV, so Haley's been staying with us. Officially she's supposed to be in the guest bedroom, but she keeps sneaking in here, even though we still haven't done _that _yet, we just lie with each other.

It's strange, with anyone else I'd want to push the sex thing, but with Haley, everything is so perfect, and it doesn't feel like I need to. Besides, she has her beliefs, and I wouldn't want to push her.

"What time are we going?" she asks now, having gulped down the aspirin and water. I push a strand of hair from her face and kiss her forehead.

"Twelve. But we're going to Karen's to have one last drink with everyone."

"Didn't we have 'one last drink' last night?" Haley says with a grimace.

Last night was pretty wild. Because we're the first ones going off to University, Brooke threw a going away party. It was a night of dancing and drinking, in true underage high-school style, with a karaoke and a disco.

I'm sorry to say that I took part in both, doing a drunken version of the YMCA with basketball team, and a duet of _Unchained Melody_ with Lucas. Yeah, I kind of got a little drunk…

But nowhere near as drunk as Haley. She was downing tequila's and vodka all night, in a completely out of character way. I think she's nervous about starting Duke, and she's going to miss her friends. But anyway, long story short, Haley ended up singing three karaoke songs – _Sisters_ off White Christmas with Taylor, who came down to see her off and who is staying at the local Holiday Inn, _Wannabe_ by the Spice Girls with Brooke and Peyton, and _Man, I Feel Like a Woman_ by Shania Twain… solo. And then there was the striptease…

"Oh God," Haley groans, like she's thinking about the same thing as me. "Why didn't you stop me last night?" Haley asks.

I laugh at her. "It was kind of hard to. You were on a roll."

"Oh God," Haley says again. "I can't show my face here ever again…"

"Don't be so dramatic," I tell her. "Besides, you're going to Duke so you won't have to."

Haley bites her lip. "This is true."

"You know, if you don't want to come to Karen's, I'll make an excuse for you," I offer. "But personally, I think you'll regret it if you don't come and say goodbye to your friends. Besides, a cup of coffee would probably be good for you right now."

Haley bites her lip again, and suddenly she reaches forward and kisses me. "Give me five minutes?"

* * *

"Here comes stripper number three!" Jake laughs as me, Haley and Lucas walk into Karen's Café. I can't help but laugh, even when Haley throws me a death glare. 

Peyton hides her head in her hands and Brooke grins broadly. I'm taking it Jake's told them they were stripper's number one and two. Wow, what a night.

What a view…

We all take a seat, and Brooke reaches over and kisses Lucas deeply on the lips.

"Get a room!" Haley and I shout at the same time. Peyton laughs and Jake throws a napkin at the two of them.

"You're just jealous," Brooke says with a grin.

Haley looks at everyone with slightly unfocused eyes. "You guys are way too chipper. Was I the only one that got drunk to the point of oblivion last night?" she asks.

"Yup!" Brooke tells her.

Peyton laughs, but shakes her head. "I've already had three cups of coffee. When I woke up this morning I felt like a woodpecker was banging away at my head," she tells us.

Rebecca the waitress comes over and takes our orders. Haley pulls her chair closer to mine and rests her head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her.

"Sweet!" Brooke chimes, and Peyton nods her head in agreement. "You tell us to get a room, and you two are the most sickeningly sweet couple at Tree Hill High."

"You're just jealous," Haley deadpans. I laugh and take a look at my friends. This is the last time we're going to be sitting like this… at least, until winter break.

Brooke's studying design at NYU, Peyton's going to Rhode Island School of Design to do art, Jake's going to Brown to study Economics, and Lucas is doing Literature at Princeton.

I'm still not completely sure what exactly I want to major in at Duke, but just the fact that I'm going with Haley is enough. She's doing something nerdy – math-related – and I'm going to be on the basketball team. And we're going to be together… always and forever.

I'll never forget when Haley said that to me after my coma. It was the day I woke up, and the day before everyone from the team started cramping my room up. She said she wanted to be with me, always and forever.

The drinks come – black coffee for Haley and milky coffee for me – and the six of us reminisce about our senior year at Tree Hill High.

The doctor was right, there was no long term damage, and surprisingly nothing was broken. I started Basketball a month and a half after my accident, and in my third game, I was spotted by the Duke talent scout.

Haley wanted to go to Stanford though, and because I wanted to be with her, I asked Whitey if he could get the Stanford scout to watch one of my games. My dad was furious when he found out. He said I was throwing away a fantastic opportunity, and the coach at Duke was one of the best in the country.

Haley surprised me though. She applied to Stanford _and _Duke, and after a long talk, we decided to pick one of the universities out of a hat – yes, very responsible – and we picked out Duke. I was worried Haley would be disappointed, but she said that as long as she was with me, everything would be fine.

I look down at her now and stroke her auburn hair out of her face. She closes her eyes softly and sighs like a contented cat.

"Feeling better?" I ask. She nods slowly and takes another gulp of black coffee.

"I can't believe we won the championship," Jake says now, and Lucas and I can't stop the grin from covering our faces while Haley and Peyton roll their eyes.

"In our senior year," Lucas adds. "How cool is that?"

"Yeah, good job I came back and saved your asses," I tell them with a cocky grin.

Haley laughs. "My boyfriend ladies and gentlemen, so modest."

I love it when she calls me that – the boyfriend part, not the modest part.

"Hey," Lucas butts in. "Me too. It's no joke having a stab wound in your leg and stomach you know!"

"Oh please," I mutter. "You healed from that way too quick. I was in a coma for a week and a half."

Lucas shrugs. "Guess I'm just stronger than you."

I open my mouth to protest, but Brooke decides it's her turn to speak.

"Okay, forget that,"She says with a cocked eyebrow. "The highlight of senior year was me being elected prom queen."

"For you," Haley mutters with a mock-sour expression. "I had to watch you slow-dance with my boyfriend. Not the best day ever."

I laugh at that. Senior Prom, oh the memories. I still remember how beautiful Haley looked in her sleek black dress, with her hair loose and wavy. The six of us spent the whole night dancing and laughing about stupid stuff that was so random I don't even remember any of it. I also remember that all of the girls wore black, and nearly had a fit when they found out. The six of us – the boys in our black tuxes, and the girls in their co-ordinating black dresses – looked like we were in mourning.

And, I guess we kind of were. I mean, it was the end of our high-school career, the end of our lives together in Tree Hill.

Brooke and I got named Prom Queen and King, with Peyton and Haley as the princesses, and Lucas and Kevin as Princes. I felt like such a dork with that stupid crown on my head.

"Yeah well, imagine how I felt," Lucas is saying now with a mischievous grin on his face. "My brother dancing with my girlfriend _and _my ex-girlfriend. Boy, did I feel inadequate."

Haley throws her napkin at him and he ducks it, but he doesn't manage to duck Brooke swatting his arm.

"Oh God, and when Rob got in," Peyton says. We shudder at the memory, and my arm tightens around Haley's shoulders.

Rob had escaped the detention facility and tried to go to the Prom. Thankfully he was caught and is still at the facility, hopefully not getting out again anytime soon.

"At least he was gone before he could do any harm," Haley says.

"God, I'm going to miss this," Brooke says, tears swimming in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you two lovebirds, and our crazily random conversations."

"I'll miss you too," Haley says, looking at all of our friends. She looks up at me and smiles. We're not saying it, but we're both thinking it. _At least we're together_.

* * *

"Have you got all of your papers? And the finance stuff, is that in order?" Mom asks as we strap ourselves into the Land Rover, our stuff completely taking over the back seat and the boot. 

"Everything's sorted Mom. Don't worry about it," I say. Dad gave us a quick goodbye and then made his way down to the dealership. Of course, he gave me yet another speech on Basketball, but that was to be expected.

"And you'll ring me as soon as you get there?" Mom goes on. I nod.

"We'll ring every other hour throughout the journey," Haley tells her, leaning over my seat. Mom smiles at her and leans in to give her a hug. I sit back on my seat and wait for them to finish.

"Be careful," Mom says. We nod in agreement.

Brooke and Peyton appear at Haley's side and lean in together. "See you at Christmas lovebirds," Brooke says, grabbing hold of mine and Haley's hands. She wipes her hands as she pulls away, and Peyton puts her arm around her friend.

"We'll see you in no time," Haley tells them.

After another ten minutes of goodbyes, Haley and I finally set off.

"Goodbye Tree Hill," she says sadly as we pass the sign saying, _'You are now leaving Tree Hill, NC'_

"Hello new life together," I say in a corny, over-the-top voice. Haley laughs at me and leans over, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I love you," she says softly. I pull the car over at the side of the road, and she sits up looking confused. "What are you doing?" she asks.

I don't answer, but instead undo my seat belt and lean into her, giving her a long deep kiss. She undoes her own seatbelt and shifts over so that she's sat on my knee. We carry on kissing, deep, beautiful kisses. Exciting kisses.

She reaches under my top and I feel her hands run along my chest, and I do the same to her, putting my hands up the back of her shirt and unhooking her bra. She starts giggling and I pull away.

"What?" I ask.

She shakes her head and kisses me again. "Nothing, it's just… you're already acting like a horny college kid, and we're not even at Duke yet."

I laugh at her. "I just wanted to get the first make-out session of our new life together out of the way, so there isn't all this awkward sexual tension the whole ride down."

Haley carries on kissing me. "Let's get it out of the way then," she says with a quick smile.

I'm only too happy to oblige.

* * *

We spend the whole ride talking about 'our new life' and making plans. For some reason, I keep remembering a memory that's not mine. A red brick house and two little kids.

Weird, huh?

Anyway, I don't know what life is going to throw at us, and I don't know what's around the corner. But I do know this: I love Haley James with all of my heart, and I am going to make her happy for the rest of our lives.

And that's why we stop outside a little town at the edge of NC, with a tiny white chapel in it. We look at each other, not sure what to say – _whether _we should say anything at all.

"I love you," Haley says again.

I look down at my hands in my lap, and back up at the chapel. "Haley, I love you too… but are you sure about this?"

Haley nods enthusiastically. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life… and we don't have to be at Duke until tomorrow…"

I laugh. "Are you suggesting staying here for the night?"

"We passed a motel a while back," Haley shrugs, like what we're about to do is completely normal.

I look back at the chapel again. "We'd need witnesses…"

Haley turns to a nearly empty small shopping mall behind us. "How much money have you got?"

"We're going to _pay _someone to be our witnesses?" I ask. Haley opens her mouth to speak, and she looks annoyed. I cut in. "Look, I _want _this… but we don't have to do it now. We could wait until the whole group is together, have a proper wedding."

Haley kisses me. "You keep saying this is our new life together… so why don't we make it real?"

I'm about to say another million reasons why we shouldn't get married. Not now, not when we're so young… but another reason keeps coming back to me. I love her, she loves me, and we make each other happy.

"Haley," I say, after taking a deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

Haley squeals and throws her arms around me. "Nothing would make me happier."

And that's when our new life together starts. At that very moment, when she agrees to be my wife.

And two hours later, when we're coming out of the chapel, Haley wearing a white cotton shirt and a white gypsy skirt, and me in a shirt and dress trousers, I know this is it.

This is us. Always and Forever.

* * *

**The End**

**AN: Well, that's it. Kind of corny there at the end, but I had to get their marriage in somehow. I've already got some ideas for a sequel, and I'll probably start it as soon as my exams are finished at the end of June.**

**Wow, I feel kind of depressed now. My first finished story on Fanfiction. :Sniff:**

**What a long strange road it's been (That 70's Show Prom Quote, hee hee)**

**I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. **

**Much love Conaleigh. **


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